Girl 

Dimitris Mytaras made this painting of a woman, simply called ‘Girl’, sometime during his career as a painter in Greece. The image shows a woman looking over her shoulder, her hand raised to her face, but what could this image of supposed beauty convey? Let's consider Mytaras's historical position and national identity. Born in 1934, he lived through some of the most turbulent events in Greek history. His art, including this one, often reflects a deep engagement with political and social issues. Greece's military dictatorship, from 1967 to 1974, was a time of censorship and repression and the painting might be an emotional response to this period, conveying themes of anxiety, silence, and introspection. Historical research, biographical details, and the social context are useful tools for understanding the cultural work that this artist made. By understanding the circumstances in which it was made, we see how this image acts as a testament to a complex historical period.