Cypria Auctions will present the “20th Century Cypriot Art Auction” on Thursday, 19 March 2026 at 7:30 pm at the Cypria / Gallery K premises in Nicosia, bringing together 149 lots that reflect the evolution of Cypriot artistic expression throughout the twentieth century.
The sale features an exceptional selection of paintings, sculptures and mixed-media works by artists who helped shape the island’s visual culture, alongside rare books and exhibition catalogues.
Taking place during the period of Cyprus’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the auction offers a timely opportunity to highlight the richness and diversity of Cypriot artistic heritage within a broader European cultural dialogue.
As Ritsa Kyriakou, Director of Cypria Auctions, notes:
“This selection brings together a wide spectrum of twentieth-century Cypriot artistic creation through works by artists who played a defining role in shaping the island’s visual culture. At a time when Cyprus is once again at the centre of European cultural dialogue, it is particularly meaningful to highlight the vitality and diversity of its artistic heritage.”
Several artists represented in the sale have previously set auction records for Cypriot art, underscoring the historical and market significance of the works presented.
Andreas Charalambides — The Tired Thespians (2000)
Estimate €35,000 – €60,000
The monumental composition The Tired Thespians by Andreas Charalambides (b. 1939) presents a dramatic theatrical scene in which a group of figures appears to stand upon a stage after the conclusion of a performance. Large areas of deep blue and intense red function almost like theatrical lighting, illuminating the figures and reinforcing the painting’s strong sense of drama. The use of gold leaf introduces an almost icon-like quality, transforming the composition into a powerful allegory of the human condition.
A second notable painting by Charalambides in the auction is Young Lady with a Bouquet (1973) (estimate €8,000 – €15,000), reflecting the artist’s distinctive figurative language of the early 1970s.
Pol Georghiou — The Boat (1959)
Estimate €35,000 – €50,000
This small yet highly significant painting by Pol Georghiou (1901–1972) presents a restrained and contemplative composition: an elongated boat resting on the sand beneath a clear sky. Rendered in a stylised, almost archaic form, the vessel recalls early Mediterranean prototypes rather than a modern craft. Within Georghiou’s symbolic visual language, the boat frequently functions as an emblem of Cyprus itself, evoking themes of endurance, passage and cultural continuity. The motif of the boat appears repeatedly in Georghiou’s work and has come to be regarded as one of the most recognisable symbolic images within his visual language.
Another excellent painting by Pol Georghiou included in the sale is Cypriot Archaic Figurine (1958) (estimate €12,000 – €20,000), in which the archaic figure appears almost suspended in time, emerging from a deep blue background as a visual echo of Cyprus’s ancient cultural memory.
Michael Kashalos — Female Head / The Crucifix (1961)
Estimate €15,000 – €25,000
This double-sided limestone sculpture by Michael Kashalos (1885–1974) offers a striking example of the artist’s distinctive sculptural language.
One side reveals a powerful female head characterised by simplified forms and an archaic presence, while the reverse presents the figure of the Crucified Christ, rendered with the same expressive economy and spiritual intensity that define Kashalos’s work.
Adamantios Diamantis — Pink Flowers – Still Life (1941)
Estimate €12,000 – €20,000
This intimate still life by Adamantios Diamantis (1900–1994) depicts a vase of pink flowers placed beside an open envelope, creating an atmosphere of quiet intimacy and reflective calm. Through a restrained palette and sensitive treatment of light, Diamantis transforms everyday objects into a carefully balanced composition imbued with poetic subtlety.
Further Highlights of the Sale
The group of works presented also includes significant works by Christoforos Savva (1924–1968), one of the pioneering figures of Cypriot modernism. Among them are Ayios Theodoros – My Revolution (1962) and Revolution (1962) (estimate €35,000 – €70,000), which reflect the artist’s experimental approach to form, material and spatial relationships.
Also included is Freedom Requires Wisdom. Otherwise We Are Doomed. (1960) (estimate €7,000 – €12,000), a work that highlights Savva’s engagement with symbolism and abstraction during a formative period in the development of modern Cypriot art.
Also featured is Stass Paraskos (1933–2014), whose Figure Composition (2007) (estimate €8,000 – €15,000) reflects the artist’s distinctive modernist language, where memory and myth appear to flow through expressive colours, shapes and figures while a vibrant emotional yellow pulses across the composition, generating a sense of freshness and powerful visual rhythm.
Giorgos Skotinos —Ceremonial
Estimate: €7,500 – €14,000
Particular attention is also drawn to Ceremonial (1976) by Giorgos Skotinos (1937–2022) (estimate €7,500 – €14,000), a strongly symbolic composition in which archetypal forms are arranged within a structured pictorial space. Deep tones of red and brown create an evocative atmosphere recalling ritual objects and cultural memory, reflecting the artist’s interest in symbolism and the metaphysical dimension of painting.
The exhibition preceding the auction offers visitors a rare opportunity to view an exceptional selection of works tracing the development of Cypriot art across the twentieth century.
Exhibition & Auction
20th Century Cypriot Art Auction
Thursday 19 March 2026 — 7:30 pm
Auction Venue
CYPRIA / GALLERY K
14 Evrou Street
Strovolos, Nicosia
Viewing
2 March – 19 March 2026
Monday – Saturday: 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sunday: 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Full catalogue and bidding information: www.cypriaauctions.com
