Object ID
2001.38.16
Object Name
Painting
Medium
Paint
Material
Leather; Wood
Object Entities
Barbatsuly, Peter (collected by)
Barbatsuly, Theodore (is related to)
Barbatsuly, Peter (is related to)
Object Description
Oil painting of standing evzone holding staff. Painted on leather and framed in wood. The frame itself appears to be repainted gold as the original wood is coming through due to the paint applied over an already varnished surface. The Evzone himself is missing his hat, but carries a large staff.
Origin
The Evzones, or Evzonoi, is the name of several historical elite light infantry and mountain units of the Greek Army. Today, it refers to the members of the Proedriki Froura (Presidential Guard), an elite ceremonial unit that guards the Greek Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Presidential Mansion. The Evzones are also known, colloquially, as Tsoliades.
Though the Presidential Guard is a predominantly ceremonial unit, all Evzones are volunteers drawn from the Hellenic Army's Infantry, Artillery and Armoured Corps. Prospective Evzones are usually identified at the Army Recruit Training Centers during Basic Training; there is a minimum height requirement of 1.86 meters to join, and the soldier must serve a minimum of 6 months with an operational Army unit before beginning Evzone training.

The unit is famous around the world for its unique traditional uniform, which has evolved from the clothes worn by the klephts[1] who fought the Ottoman occupation of Greece. The most visible item of this uniform is the fustanella, a kilt-like garment. Their proven valor and peculiar dress turned them into a popular image for the Greek soldier, especially among foreigners.
Rights and Reproduction
The content on this site is made available for research and education purposes only. The use of these materials may be restricted by law or the donor.

Any other use, such as exhibition, publication, or commercial use, is not allowed except by written permission in accordance with the NHM Image Rights and Reproduction Policy.

For questions on image rights and reproduction, please contact nhmcollections@hellenicmuseum.org
Citation
Painting, National Hellenic Museum, https://collections.nationalhellenicmuseum.org/Detail/objects/6223. Accessed 04/24/24.