Renowned Greek painter Fassianos dies at 86

Modern painter Alekos Fassianos, one of Greece's most famous artists, died at the age of 86 on Sunday after a long illness, local media reported. A graduate of the Athens Academy of Fine Arts, he moved to Paris in 1960 to study lithography where he met several artists and writers.

Modern painter Alekos Fassianos, one of Greece's most famous artists, died at the age of 86 on Sunday after a long illness, local media reported.

A graduate of the Athens Academy of Fine Arts, he moved to Paris in 1960 to study lithography where he met several artists and writers. Influenced by abstract art, Fassianos adopted a personal anthropocentric style. His paintings were exhibited around the world, including in Paris, London, Tokyo and New York, and he was given awards by the French and Russian governments.

"Greece doesn't have anymore a great artist who gave lavishly colour to its everyday life," Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a statement.