Philhellenic: Munich, Karl August Krazeisen. 1828-1831., 1831. Black & white lithograph of Alexander Mavrocordatos from Krazeizen's "Bildnisse ausgezeichneter Greichen und Philhellene nebst einigen Ansichten und Trachten." ["Portraits of famous Greeks and Philellenes, along with some views and costumes designed from nature and published by Karl Krazeisen"). verso blank. Head and shoulders portrait with printed signature below. Alexandros Mavrokordatos ( 1791- 1865, ) He was a member of the Filiki Eteria and was among the Phanariot Greeks who hastened to the Morea on the outbreak of the War of Independence in 1821. He was active in endeavouring to establish a regular government, and in January, 1822 he was elected by the First National Assembly at Epidaurus as the "President of the Executive". He commanded the advance of the Greeks into western Central Greece the same year, and suffered a serious defeat at Peta on July 16, but retrieved this disaster somewhat by his successful resistance to the First Siege of Missolonghi (Nov. 1822 to Jan. 1823). His English sympathies brought him, in the subsequent strife of factions, into opposition to the "Russian" party headed by Demetrius Ypsilanti and Kolokotronis; and though he held the portfolio of foreign affairs for a short while under the presidency of Petrobey (Petros Mavromichalis), he was compelled to withdraw from affairs until February 1825, when he again became a Secretary of State. The landing of Ibrahim Pasha followed, and Mavrocordatos again joined the army, barely escaping capture in the disaster at Sphacteria, on May 9, 1825, by swimming to Navarino. After the fall of Missolonghi (April 22, 1826) he went into retirement, until President John Capodistria made him a member of the committee for the administration of war material, a position he resigned in 1828. After Kapodistria's murder (October 9, 1831) and the resignation of his brother and successor, Augustinos Kapodistrias (April 13, 1832), Mavrocordatos became Minister of Finance. He was Vice-President of the National Assembly at Argos (July, 1832), and was appointed by King Otto as his Minister of Finance, and in 1833 Premier. Image bright and clean; light spotting to blank borders. Karl August Krazeisen 1794- 1878. was an amateur artist and soldier in 1812 he entered the Bavarian army and took part in the 1813/1814's war against Napoleon's domination. In 1826, having by then promoted to lieutenant, along with 11 other Bavarians went to Greece,as aide to Carl von Heydeck where the Greek War of Independence was going through a critical phase, with the entrance of the Egyptians It was the first public action to support struggle of Greeks, taken by small European state of Bavarian King and Philhellen Ludwig. Krazeisen was not a professional artist. But having the ability to draw, he used his stay in Greece with historical insight, creating portraits of the heroes of the war, the sketches of camps, costumes, uniforms,and battle plans. He returned to Munich in 1827,and published his Greek album, from 1828-31 which promoted the Greek cause throughout Europe As Krazeisen had drawn all Greek leaders living at the time of his stay in Greece, his album constitutes a principal source and the most comprehensive collection of its kind: he remained the only artist to have portrayed the Greek national heroes during their lifetime. The newly founded modern Greek state honoured him with the Order of the Redeemer Under the command of Charles Nicolas Fabvier Krazeisen was present at the battles of the Acropolis, Athens from November 1826 till April 1827 (Battle of Phaleron), he is portrayed by Theodoros Vrysakis in his famous painting of the event "The camp of Georgios Karaiskakis"(1855); indeed it is clear that Vrysakis used the portraits of Krazaeisen as reference for the painting. Droulia 1426-29. Blackmer / Navari: 926; Blackmer/Sotheby's: 743). Lipperheide 1447. Philhellenic Alexander Mavrocordatos.
