The painter Chronis Botsoglou was born in Thessaloniki in 1941 and passed away in Athens in 2022.
He studied painting at the Athens School of Fine Arts under Yiannis Moralis and Georgios Mavroidis (1961–1965) and continued his studies in Paris at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts.
From 1989 onward, he taught drawing at the Athens School of Fine Arts, where he also served as rector (2001–2006).
He was also involved in book illustration and published numerous articles on art.
Since 1964, he participated in art groups of a political character (“Art Group A” 1960–1967, “Center for Visual Arts” 1974–1976, “Group for Communication and Education in Art” 1976–1981). In the 1970s, he participated in the “Young Greek Realists” group, which attempted to approach the New Realism movement in art.
His anthropocentric and autobiographical painting progresses from a realistic perspective to an existential introspection—a trajectory evident not so much in his thematic choices, as the human figure remains dominant, but rather in the use of his visual mediums. His painting becomes more elliptical; the human figure is stripped of all clothing and adornment, capturing the viewer’s gaze as it experiences the decay of time.
He presented his work in solo exhibitions in Athens, Thessaloniki, Rhodes, and elsewhere, as well as in group shows (including the Panhellenic Art Exhibitions in Athens in 1965 and 1967, and the São Paulo Art Biennial in 1969).