Object ID
2015.22.6
Object Name
Photograph
Date Created
1910 – 1913
Medium
Photo Paper, Cardboard
Object Description
A black-and-white photographic print mounted on cardboard. The photograph depicts a group of men in front of bushes and trees. There is a dirt road in front of them. The men are standing sideways in two rows. All of them are wearing military uniforms and holding rifles, and they have small swords hanging from their belts. The two men at the far left are holding flags. The man in the regular uniform is holding an American flag, while the man in the Evzone costume is holding a white flag with some kind of Greek insignia. Two men to the right of the flag-bearers are holding bugles. Most of the men appear to be in their teens or early twenties. There is also a boy in uniform who is probably not more than ten years old. One of the men is standing on the road, away from the rest. He is wearing a different kind of belt and holding a sword. There is a small group of civilians standing at the far end, behind the men in uniform.
Origin
This picture was donated by Daisy Agres. The man standing apart from the others is believed to be John Agreostathes. Agreostathes (or Agriostathis) was born in 1879 and apparently served as an officer in the Greek army before immigrating to the United States. In the lead-up to the Balkan Wars, he organized and trained young Greek men in Chicago. In 1912, it is recorded that they were preparing to travel to Greece to take part in the conflict. This is likely a picture of the men Agreostathes trained. It is unclear where or when the picture was taken and whether these young men actually took part in any fighting. The little boy on the far left is clearly too young for combat. This may suggest that the whole thing was more ceremonial than anything else, or that perhaps the boy was allowed to dress up and be in the pictures but did not actually participate in any training.
Rights and Reproduction
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Citation
Photograph, 1910 – 1913, National Hellenic Museum, https://collections.nationalhellenicmuseum.org/Detail/objects/4865. Accessed 04/19/24.