Virgin Glykofilousa with the Akathist Hymn (Tzangarolas)

The Virgin Glykofilousa with the Akathist Hymn is a tempera painting created by Greek painter Stephano Tzangarola. The work is a symbol of the craftsmanship of the Heptanese school and the evolution of Greek painting from the Byzantine style to the Cretan Renaissance style. Tzangarola was originally from Crete and migrated to Corfu. The Ionian Islands became the artistic center of the Greek world. He was active from 1675 to 1710 during the Greek Baroque period and Rococo. Twenty-two of his works survived. His student was famous Greek painter and Archpriest Andreas Karantinos.

The Akathist Hymn was a major theme in Italian-Greek Byzantine paintings. The Akathist Hymn is a very popular chant sang in both Greek and Latin. The hymn begins with: to you, invincible champion addressed to the Panagia Theotokos (Virgin Mary). It contains 24 components with musical stories mostly venerating the Virgin Mary. Some parts include Christ. Artists created the pictorial representation of the Akathist Hymn. One of the most notable artists to use the Akathist Hymn was Georgios Klontzas. He added the theme to his In Thee Rejoiceth. The masterpiece became popular and copied by many artists of the Cretan Renaissance. The entire piece venerates the Virgin Mary.

The central portion of The Virgin Glykofilousa with the Akathist Hymn closely resembles an earlier painting created by Titian. Many Greek painters were influenced by Venetian painting namely in Crete and the Ionian islands. Tzangarola's student Andreas Karantinos created three works similar to his teacher's painting. Two of them are in very good condition. The Virgin Glykofilousa (Karantinos) and the Panagia Sami. The Virgin Glykofilousa with the Akathist Hymn is part of the collection of the Monastery and Museum of Saint Andrew in Kephalonia. The painting is frequently exhibited all over the world.