Georgios Klontzas

Georgios Klontzas (Greek: Γεώργιος Κλώντζας; 1535–1608), also known as George Klontzas or Zorzi Cloza dito Cristianopullo, was a Greek scholar and painter of the Cretan Renaissance. He is one of the most influential artists of the post-Byzantine period, with an artistic output including icons, miniatures, triptychs and illuminated manuscripts, commissioned by both Catholic and Orthodox patrons. Some of Klontzas's icons, including his most popular work, All Creation rejoices in thee, are distinctive, extremely complex compositions populated with countless figures. These were emulated by later painters, including Andreas Pavias in his Crucifixion of Jesus and Theodore Poulakis in his In Thee Rejoiceth, which is extremely similar to Klontzas's work. Klontzas was inspired by Venetian painting- his triptychs strongly resemble the works of Gentile da Fabriano, namely the Intercession Altarpiece- and his Last Judgement bears very close similarities to Michelangelo's work of the same name in the Sistine Chapel. There is no indication that Klontzas saw the Sistine fresco, but it is a possibility. According to the Institute of Neohellenic Research fifty-four items of his art exist today.