Ancient CyprusAncient Cyprus

Collector · Heir · Consul / diplomat · Donor

Zeno D. Pierides

1900–1967 · Cyprus

Larnaca consul and mayor who owned the Pierides collection from about 1943 to 1967, added Roman glass and medieval pottery, and gave 34 objects to Vienna in 1951.

Biography

Zeno D. Pierides (1900-1967) received the Larnaca Pierides collection from his father, Demetrios Z. Pierides, and kept it until his death. He was the grandson of Zeno D. Pierides (1839-1911) and great-grandson of the founder, Demetrios Pierides1,2. He studied law in London and became a Member of Parliament, Mayor of Larnaca and first Vice-President of the Greek Communal Chamber (1961-1964). Karageorghis lists his consular posts as Vice-Consul for Germany from 1924, Consul for Germany from 1934, Consul for Sweden from 1933 and Consul-General from 19532.

As owner he "enriched" the collection, particularly with Roman glass and medieval glazed pottery, and kept a collection of old maps of Cyprus1,2. In the 1960s Vassos Karageorghis published pieces from it, among them Mycenaean vases, Submycenaean and Proto-White Painted pottery and a Middle Cypriot figurine of a man with a baby6,7,8. The 1965 Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum describes it as rich in small Mycenaean vases, with an important Proto-White Painted group, and as the second-largest private collection in Cyprus after that of George Giabra Pierides3. In 1951 "Konsul Zenon D. Pierides" gave 34 Cypriot finds to the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna4.

After his death his son, Demetrios Z. Pierides, donated the collection to the Pierides Foundation in June 19741,11.

Life and work

  1. c. 1943
    Received the Larnaca Pierides collection from his father Demetrios Z. Pierides (1870-1943), who had kept it after Luke's death (1933). The 1973 text says the father 'handed it over'; the date is inferred from his father's death year.

    LarnacaKarageorghis 1973Karageorghis et al. 1985, p. 14

  2. 1943–1967
    Added Roman glass, Medieval (Byzantine) glazed pottery and old maps of Cyprus to the collection; the 1985 text says he collected mainly glass and Mediaeval pottery. Karageorghis also published his Mycenaean/Submycenaean/Proto-White Painted vases (CVA Cyprus 2, section II) and terracottas and sculpture in the Chroniques.

    LarnacaKarageorghis 1973Karageorghis et al. 1985, p. 14Karageorghis 1965

  3. 1951
    As Consul, gave 34 finds from the Pierides collection (24 vases, 3 terracotta statuettes, 3 clay lamps, 2 glass vessels) to the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, 'to the art-loving people of Austria'; the museum notes that Demetrios Pierides (1811-1895) was the donor's great-grandfather.

    ViennaBernhard-Walcher et al. 1999, p. 44

  4. 1959
    Karageorghis publishes in the Chronique a terracotta figurine (woman raising her arms, a 'Dove Goddess' type) from the 'collection de Mr Zenon Pierides, Larnaca'; the figurine of the preceding year's Chronique is cited as a forerunner.

    LarnacaKarageorghis 1960

  5. 1961
    Two Mycenaean vases (boar-head rhyton and a second vase) published from the 'collection de Mr Zenon Pierides', judged on circumstantial grounds to come from the Larnaca region.

    LarnacaKarageorghis 1962

  6. 1963
    'with the generous permission of Mr and Mrs Pierides' Karageorghis publishes Mycenaean, Submycenaean and Proto-White Painted pottery (Mycenaean IIB conical cup etc.). 'Mme Pierides' is not named here; she is identified as Theodora from the 1985 family outline.

    LarnacaKarageorghis 1964

  7. 1966
    Chronique (for 1966) publishes a White Painted figurine of a man holding a baby as 'Collection Zenon Pierides, Larnaca' (the last record of him as living owner).

    LarnacaKarageorghis 1967

  8. 1967
    Died; his son Demetrios Z. (b. 1937) became responsible for the collection.

    LarnacaKarageorghis et al. 1985, p. 14

Connections

7 people
Luke Zenon PieridesDemetrios Zeno PieridesDemetrios Z. PieridesMrs Theodora Z. PieridesVassos KarageorghisDemetrios PieridesZeno D. PieridesZeno D. Pierides
Sales & giftsFamilyColleagues

Sales, gifts & bequests

Colleagues & contacts

Objects

  • Terracotta figurine of a woman raising her arms ('Dove Goddess' type)

    Pierides collection, Larnaca (private, now Pierides Foundation Museum)by 1959Karageorghis 1960

  • Mycenaean boar-head rhyton and a second Mycenaean vase

    From presumed Larnaca region (not stated by source)Pierides collection, Larnacaby 1961Karageorghis 1962

  • Group of 34 Cypriot finds (24 vases, 3 terracottas, 3 lamps, 2 glass vessels), incl. KHM cat. no. 44

    Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna1951Bernhard-Walcher et al. 1999, p. 44

  • Draped limestone kouros, 27 cm, from a looted sanctuary near Mandres (Famagusta district); Gjerstad's Cypro-Greek Archaic group

    From MandresPierides collection, Larnaca1967–1971Karageorghis 1971

Sources

  1. 1.V. Karageorghis, F. Rizopoulou-Egoumenidou, D. Papanikola-Bakirtzis, C. Elliott (1985). Ancient Cypriote Art in the Pierides Foundation Museum.
  2. 2.V. Karageorghis (1973). Cypriote Antiquities in the Pierides Collection, Larnaca, Cyprus. Athens, Ekdotiki Hellados.
  3. 3.V. Karageorghis (1965). Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Cyprus 2: Cyprus, Private Collections I. Department of Antiquities, Cyprus.
  4. 4.A. Bernhard-Walcher, G. Dembski, K. Gschwantler, V. Karageorghis (1999). Die Sammlung zyprischer Antiken im Kunsthistorischen Museum / The Collection of Cypriote Antiquities in the Kunsthistorisches Museum. Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum.
  5. 5.V. Karageorghis (1960). “Chronique des fouilles et découvertes archéologiques à Chypre en 1959”. Bulletin de correspondance hellénique 84.
  6. 6.V. Karageorghis (1962). “Chronique des fouilles et découvertes archéologiques à Chypre en 1961”. Bulletin de correspondance hellénique 86.
  7. 7.V. Karageorghis (1964). “Chronique des fouilles et découvertes archéologiques à Chypre en 1963”. Bulletin de correspondance hellénique 88.
  8. 8.V. Karageorghis (1967). “Chronique des fouilles et découvertes archéologiques à Chypre en 1966”. Bulletin de correspondance hellénique 91.
  9. 9.V. Karageorghis (1970). “Chronique des fouilles et découvertes archéologiques à Chypre en 1969”. Bulletin de correspondance hellénique 94.
  10. 10.V. Karageorghis (1971). “Chronique des fouilles et découvertes archéologiques à Chypre en 1970”. Bulletin de correspondance hellénique 95.
  11. 11.V. Karageorghis (1975). “Chronique des fouilles et découvertes archéologiques à Chypre en 1974”. Bulletin de correspondance hellénique 99.