Leonidas Drosis



Leonidas Drosis (Λεωνίδας Δρόσης; (1834/1836/1843 - 1882)) was a Greek neoclassical sculptor of the 19th century.

Born in Tripoli or Nafplion, to a German (Bavarian) father named Von Dorsch, who was a soldier and musician, and a Greek mother named Meksi, however he took the surname Drosis. He later changed took the Greek surname Drosis due to his love for Greece and because he identified solely as Greek. He later studied in Athens and Munich on a scholarship provided by Simon Sinas.

Drosis's major work is the extensive neo-classical architectural ornament at the Academy of Athens, for the Danish-Austrian architect Theophil Hansen. The Academy was also funded largely by Sinas. Drosis sculpted the principle multi-figure pediment sculpture, on the theme of the birth of Athena, based on a design by painter Carl Rahl. This brought first prize at the Vienna Exhibition of 1873. Drosis is also responsible for the figures of Athena and Apollo with lyre on the Academy's flanking pillars, and the seated marble figures of Plato and Socrates, which were executed "by the Italian sculptor Piccarelli". (The eight smaller pediments in the Academy complex are the terra-cotta work of Austrian sculptor Franz Melnitzky.)

Drosis died in Naples in 1882.