Page 220 - Beholding Liberty!

ΙΙ.3.8
Unknown artist
Kolokotronis leads his army to Nemea against Dramali, ca. 1908
coloured lithograph, 54 x 69 cm (sheet)
signed: ΕΚΔΟΤΗΣ ΧΡΩΜ. ΤΗΣ Β. ΑΥΛΗΣ / Γ. ΛΟΒΕΡΔΟΥ & Γ. ΓΡΥΣΠΟΥ – ΕΝ ΠΕΙΡΑΙΕΙ• (bottom left, on the image) inscribed (caption): Ο ΚΟΛΟΚΟΤΡΩΝΗΣ ΟΔΗΓΩΝ ΤΟΝ ΣΤΡΑΤΟΝ ΤΟΥ ΕΙΣ ΝΕΜΕΑΝ ΚΑΤΑ ΤΟΥ ΔΡΑΜΑΛΗ (low centre) Hellenic Parliament Art Collection, inv. n. 577
THEODOROS KOLOKOTRONIS became commander in chief of the revolutionary Greek army, not only because of his military experience prior to the 1821 outbreak, but also de facto, on the battle- field. His triumph at Dervenakia (July 26-28, 1822), in particular, where Dramalis’ large army was defeated by Kolokotronis’ strategic genius, who trapped him in the Argolid plains, earned him fame and a position of leadership.
Here, Kolokotronis on horseback, with his characteris- tic helmet, leads the Greek army to Nemea to confront the army of Dramalis. His enthusiastic soldiers follow
in ordered lines, inspired by the decisive general. Be- fore the Battle at Dervenakia, he inflamed them with his address (July 25, 1822): “Greeks, today we were born and today we will die for the salvation of our homeland and our own.”
This popular chromolithograph dating from the early twentieth century, with Theodoros Kolokotro- nis leading his army to Nemea against Dramalis, echoes an 1908 oil painting by Nestor L. Darveris (1867-1954) (Athens, E. Koutlidis Foundation Collec- tion, National Gallery – Alexandros Soutsos Muse- um, cat. no K434).
220 BEHOLDING LIBERTY!