Emmanuel Tzanes: A Cretan Master of Venetian Grace Emmanuel Tzanes (1610 – 1690), often referred to as Bounialis, stands as a pivotal figure in the history of Greek Renaissance art. Born on the island of Crete and ultimately finding his artistic home in Venice, Tzanes’s career bridged the traditions of the Cretan School with the burgeoning influences of Venetian painting, resulting in a uniquely elegant and deeply spiritual body of work. His life was marked by both exile and patronage, religious devotion and artistic innovation, leaving behind a legacy of over 130 icons that continue to capt…