Title: Lambros Orfanos. With sharpness of observation [Làmbros Orfanòs. Mè tìn oxìtita tìs paratìrissis] – in Greek
Author: Charis Kanellopoulou
Publisher: Bank of Greece (Centre for Culture, Research and Documentation)
Year of publication: 2026
Number of pages: 236
Dimensions: 29 x 24 cm
Book type: Album
ISBN: 978-618-5536-88-6
About the book
Lambros Orfanos (1916-1995) worked at the Printing Works Department of the Bank of Greece (IETA)—the National Mint—from 1949 to 1977, where he played a pivotal role in the design of Greek banknotes. Alongside this work, he pursued a separate artistic path as a painter and engraver from the mid‑20th century onward, creating a body of work distinguished by a highly individual artistic voice.
This publication looks at both Orfanos’s independent artistic output and his applied work in the highly specialised and demanding world of banknote design. By considering these two paths together, it aims to reveal various aspects of his artistic identity—on the one hand, the exuberant, unrestrained imagination that shaped his personal art and, on the other, the discipline and rigorous adherence to functionality and the general standards applied to the design of monetary objects.
Although these two strands may seem quite different, they are ultimately bound by the same core qualities: artistry, aesthetic sensitivity, and an unwavering attention to detail are central to Orfanos's visual language, shaping his artistic expression.