THE SPIRIT OF BYRON:

On 19 April 1824, amid the Greek War of Independence, Lord Byron died in the town of Mesologgi following a prolonged fever. Though he had scarcely been in Greece for 100 days, his contributions to the revolt would live on for centuries in the heart of a newborn nation.

Two hundred years later, on 19 April 2024, The Spirit of Byron: Philhellenism and the Greek War of Independence premiered at the Hellenic Museum. This bicentennial exhibition commemorates one of history's most well-known philhellenes through a curated selection of works on paper from The Robertson Collection which, together, trace the politicised Philhellene movement prior to the outbreak of the revolt, its progress through the course and conclusion of the conflict, and Byron’s enduring connection to the cause.

Showcasing the dynamic interplay of art, literature and politics during a time of great liberal and national upheaval, The Spirit of Byron reveals the depth of public interest in Greece's struggle for freedom, its interpretation in visual culture, and how the "rich Byronic postscript" continues to whirl and spark in the present day.