Remote-Url: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2011/nov/06/vladimir-putin-and-painted-skulls Retrieved-at: 2022-03-17 15:57:35.493253+00:00 [p] Skip to main contentSkip to navigation Advertisement International edition[ ] • International edition • UK edition • US edition • Australian edition The Guardian - Back to home Print subscriptions Search jobs Sign in Search [ ] • News • Opinion • Sport • Culture • Lifestyle ShowMoreShow More • [ ]News □ World news □ UK news □ Coronavirus □ Climate crisis □ Environment □ Science □ Global development □ Football □ Tech □ Business □ Obituaries • [ ]Opinion □ The Guardian view □ Columnists □ Cartoons □ Opinion videos □ Letters • [ ]Sport □ Football □ Cricket □ Rugby union □ Tennis □ Cycling □ F1 □ Golf □ US sports • [ ]Culture □ Books □ Music □ TV & radio □ Art & design □ Film □ Games □ Classical □ Stage • [ ]Lifestyle □ Fashion □ Food □ Recipes □ Love & sex □ Health & fitness □ Home & garden □ Women □ Men □ Family □ Travel □ Money □ Make a contribution □ Subscribe • □ Search jobs □ Holidays □ Digital Archive □ Guardian Puzzles app □ Guardian content licensing site □ The Guardian app □ Video □ Podcasts □ Pictures □ Newsletters □ Today's paper □ Inside the Guardian □ The Observer □ Guardian Weekly □ Crosswords • □ Search jobs □ Holidays □ Digital Archive □ Guardian Puzzles app □ Guardian content licensing site • Books • Music • TV & radio • Art & design • Film • Games • Classical • Stage ShortcutsArt and design Vladimir Putin and the painted skulls Art historian Paul Koudounaris asked permission to photograph skulls at Mount Athos in Greece. And it seems he was not the first to make that request Photos of skulls by Paul Koudounaris. [ ] 'I'm a bit macabre,' says Paul Koudounaris, who likes to photograph skulls. Photograph: Paul Koudounaris 'I'm a bit macabre,' says Paul Koudounaris, who likes to photograph skulls. Photograph: Paul Koudounaris Rod Stanley Sun 6 Nov 2011 20.29 GMT • • • California-based art historian Paul Koudou-naris admits he is "a bit macabre". He has spent three years touring ancient ossuaries, documenting seldom-seen artworks crafted from human bones. His journey led him to Mount Athos in Greece. "Every Orthodox country has a monastery there," he says. "They paint the skulls to identify the bones of monks raised to sainthood. The Russian monks on Athos are the Rembrandts of skull-painting. I dearly wanted to photograph those skulls." So Koudounaris asked if he could. "It was like going to see the Wizard of Oz. I was on my knees before this old abbot who looked like Rasputin." The answer was no: nothing personal, but he had to comply with God's wishes. As he turned to leave, the abbot told him that another man had once come with the same request. His name? Vladimir Putin. "He visited the monastery, and even gave them $1m for repairs," says Koudounaris. "Putin asked if he might take some photos of the skulls, but they told him no." Then the abbot offered something more: "If it makes you feel better, frankly you are a much better photographer than Putin." Topics • Art and design • Shortcuts • Vladimir Putin • features • • • • • • Reuse this content Most popular Most popular • Books • Music • TV & radio • Art & design • Film • Games • Classical • Stage • News • Opinion • Sport • Culture • Lifestyle • Contact us • Complaints & corrections • SecureDrop • Work for us • Privacy policy • Cookie policy • Terms & conditions • Help • All topics • All writers • Digital newspaper archive • Facebook • YouTube • Instagram • LinkedIn • Twitter • Newsletters • Advertise with us • Search UK jobs Back to top © 2022 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. (modern)