Athanasios Psalidas: “The Archive as Discourse” | Dr. Eleni Kourmantzi

The new publication by Dr. Eleni Kourmantzi, with the support of the Onassis Foundation, sheds light on the work of the most eminent figure of Modern Greek Enlightenment through manuscripts and publications of his work. Documents from 1786–1829 unfold his multifaceted personality, illuminating in parallel the philosophy of Humanism and the ideas of Enlightenment.

Through the publication of “Athanasios Psalidas: ‘The Archive as Discourse,’” scientifically edited by Dr. Eleni Kourmantzi, the public is granted the chance to become acquainted with the work, actions, and thoughts of this eminent educator, intellectual, and writer of the Modern Greek Enlightenment. Athanasios Psalidas is a historical figure who has been identified with forging Education, radical thought, and political and revolutionary action to uplift the “fallen Nation” of enslaved Greeks.The publication’s objective is to present before the public a series of comprehensive documents, divided into corresponding sections: Personal Life, Public Life, Teaching, Political Life, Publications & Writings, and Poetics—allowing authentic historical information to be channeled into today. The publication comprises a characteristically representative exemplar of the diverse presence of Athanasios Psalidas, as this is revealed, as far as manuscripts regard, through documents from his archive, which belong to the Stamatios Krinos Collection—contained now in the Central Service of the General State Archives of Greece in Athens—and, concerning writings, through the volumes of his work now hosted in the Onassis Library.The publication follows the two successful exhibitions of books and manuscripts by Athanasios Psalidas, which were realized in 2019 at the Onassis Library in Athens and in 2020 at the General State Archive’s Historical Archive of Epirus in Ioannina.

Buy the book (only Greece & Cyprus)

Date of Publication: June 2023

Publisher: Onassis Foundation

Language: Greek

Pages: 597

Dimensions: 21×28

Type: Printed version

Description: Hardcover, rich visual material

ISBN: 978-618-85928-7-2

Price: €48

Available in selected bookstores and points of sale.

Publications Credits

Scientific Editing, Archival Research, Selection & Classification of Documents, Section Introductions: Dr. Eleni Kourmantzi, Visiting Professor, St. Cyril And St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

Transcripts of Documents: Ioannis Vanakakis, Philologist, M.A.

Photography of Cover Engraving: Konstantinos Ignatiadis

Texts: Katerina Sakellaropoulou, President of the Hellenic Republic; Dr. Anthony S. Papadimitriou, Chairman of the Board of the Onassis Foundation; Dr. Eleni Kurmantzi, Visiting Professor, St. Cyril And St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria; Amalia Pappa, Deputy General Director of the General State Archives, Director of Archival Research, Promotion, Communication, Conservation, and Preservation of Archives; Dr. Apostolos Katsikis, Professor Emeritus of the Department of Primary Education, University of Ioannina / +Konstantinos Sp. Staikos, Architect, Book Historian, Head of Aton Publications

Provision of Documents: General State Archives of Greece

Publication Design: ATON – Efi Zerva, Eleni Mavroidi (layout & typesetting) Cover Design: Theodoros Kovaios

Onassis Education

Effie Tsiotsiou: Executive Director and Director of Education, Onassis FoundationVicky Gerontopoulou: Coordinator of the Onassis Library

Onassis Culture

Afroditi Panagiotakou: Director of Culture, Onassis FoundationDimitris Theodoropoulos: Deputy Director of Culture, Onassis Foundation

Christina Kosmoglou: Publications Manager

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