Eleutherios (Kyriakos) Venizelos, (1864-1936) Greek statesman and prime minister (1910-15, 1917-20, 1924, 1928-32, 1933), born in Mourniés, Crete, Greece. He studied law in Athens, led the Liberal Party in the Cretan chamber of deputies, and took a prominent part in the Cretan rising against the Turks in 1896. As prime minister of Greece, he promoted the Balkan League against Turkey (1912) and Bulgaria (1913), and so extended the Greek kingdom. His sympathies with France and Britain at the outbreak of World War 1 clashed with those of King Constantine I, and caused Venizelos to establish a provisional rival government at Salonika, and in 1917 forced the king's abdication. He was heavily defeated in the general elections of 1920, but served three times more as prime minister before retiring. In 1935 he came out of retirement against the restoration of the monarchy, but failed to win support and fled eventually to Paris.
(biography.com)
Sold Sotheby's; 9/23/1993; Lot 126; $10,925
Sold Christie's East; 10/3/2001, Lot: 56; $14,100