Great Travelers in Athens, 15th-19th cent 17/03 - 31/12/2004 The most important travellers to Athens from the 15th to the 19th century and their famous Itineraries with their most wonderful etchings are displayed in this very interesting exhibition of the Museum of the City of Athens of the Vouros-Eutaxias Foundation in collaboration with the Organizing Committee of the Athens Olympic Games. The exhibition Great Travelers in Athens, 15th-19th cent. makes part of the official cultural program of Athens 2004 and runs through the end of the year. Among the items on display are some masterpieces of the kind, like the four volumes of the work of J. Stuart and N. Revett (1792), as well as the works by J.D. Le Roy (1758), Edward Dodwell, Hugh William Williams, William Cole, Du Moncel, A. Gasparini, and others. It aims to show that travelers were those who discovered Athens and made it known to the rest of Europe, since event in the 16th century, Athens was believed that it did not exist by then (Martin Crusius, 1575). The most important exhibit is the larger painting on Athens ever made that shows Athens (260x520 cm), which is also Jacques Carrey's (1649-1726) first oil painting. It dates back to 1674 and presents Charles Francois Olier Marquis de Nointel (1635-1685), ambassador of Louis the 14th in Constantinople, who visited Athens in November 1674 with his numerous escorts. In the background, one can see Athens -under Turkish Occupation by that time- with Acropolis and Parthenon, still in one piece. Thirteen years later, in 1687, it was destroyed by Morosini's attack. Lycabettus Hill is portrayed surrounded by numerous mosques -shown by the rising over minarets, while Parthenon is shown as it was turned into a mosque. The significance of Carrey's oil painting lies on its exact topography. No other portrayal of Athens (apart from a sketch, dated from 1670, which is kept at Bonn's Museum) that shows Athens before the destruction of the Parthenon is known today. The exhibition, based mainly of the collection of the Museums and accompanied by a bilingual (Greek and English) catalogue, is a great contribution to the Olympic Year 2004. Museum of the City of Athens, Vouros-Eutaxias Foundation Address 5-7 Paparigopoulou St., 10561 Athens (Klathmonos Sq.) Telephone +30-210-3231397, 3230168, 3246164 Author : Culture guide