For the celebration of the Greek War of Independence, 201 years ago, Australia’s creator of the Lego Classicists family, Liam Jensen, has turned to the heroic Greek women, who played a large part in the revolution.
Lascarina Bouboulina, Manto Mavrogenous and Domna Visvisi are the three new figures he honours by immortalising them in miniature Lego pieces, following last year’s depiction of three male heroes he created at the request of the Director, Prof. John Bennet of the British School at Athens for the 200th anniversary.
Bouboulina was a naval commander, a financier of the revolutionary forces and is considered to be the first woman to reach the naval rank of admiral. She dedicated her life and fortune to the cause of independence for Greece.
“With Bouboulina, I based the Lego Portrait on the famous oil painting of her that hangs in the National Museum of History, Athens, with some other inspirations from other images. The face, as always, is very important with each portrait I make and with Bouboulina it needed to be ferocious, calm and “not to be crossed”,” Liam Jensen says, adding that he thinks of the ancient Greek Goddess Athena when it comes to Bouboulina.
In Mando Mavrogenous, Mr Jensen faced an interesting challenge.
“She is such an important and strong person but the way she used her influences in greater society to support the war was so subtle. It’s very hard to portray that through the medium of Lego, but I wanted to show a face that seemed approachable on the surface yet had strong intelligence internally and be someone you should never cross!”.
Mavrogenous was born to a family of aristocratic lineage in Trieste (now part of Italy) but moved with her family to Paros, Greece when she was a child. Well educated, including in works of the Enlightenment, she was fluent in a number of languages. Her father was a member of the underground Filiki Eteria and Manto continued his revolutionary work after his death in 1818.
Of the three heroic women, Mr Jensen’s favourite is Domna Visvisi.
“She is a lesser known woman in the history of this war and so it’s much harder to find images of her. But the one engraving I did find reminded me of a swashbuckling pirate in her dress and the look on her face so in the end that was the feel I went for. Strong and passionate with an enthusiasm ready for a sea battle!”
Domna Visvisi was born in Ainos, Thrace, into a wealthy land-owning family and dedicated herself to the fight for Greek independence. She was a sea captain and a member of the revolutionary and secret Filiki Eteria which initiated the Greek War of Independence in 1821.
The figures, created by the pop-artist and historical archivist are part of the Lego Classicists Family, an educational project that combines history and pop-art to engage with the art and culture of the ancient world and people who study it.
In the past, Jensen has created portraits of notable classicists and historians around the world using Lego mini figures. These include Prof. Mary Beard (Cambridge University & TV presenter), Mr. Stephen Fry (Author of Mythos, Hero’s & Troy) and Prof. Pandermalis, Director of the Acropolis Museum.
