Biographies

Velissaridis George

George Velissaridis was born in Trebizond, Asia Minor in 1909. He studied painting at the Athens School of Fine Arts (1930 – 1935) under K. Parthenis and engraving under Jean Kefalinos. He worked for the Bank of Greece (banknote department, 1939 – 1941) and for the Hellenic Post (stamp design department, 1968 – 1973).

He also worked as a book illustrator. He presented his work in solo exhibitions and took part in group exhibitions in major events in Greece and abroad, including the 1937 Exposition Internationale in Paris (silver medal), the Pan-Hellenic exhibitions of 1938 and 1939 (bronze medal), the 1963 Alexandria Biennale of Engraving, the 1954 Mostra Internazionale di Bianco e Nero and the 1957 Xylon in Lugano, etc.

He was a member of the groups “Free Artists” (Ελεύθεροι Καλλιτέχναι), “Workshop” (Εργαστήρι), “Group of Greek Painters – Engravers” (Ομάδα Ελλήνων Ζωγράφων – Χαρακτών), “Xylon” and also a founding member of the Chamber of Fine Arts of Greece of which he was also president. George Velissaridis died in Athens in 1994.