History of Crete Venice, overthrew official Venetian authorities and declared an independent Cretan Republic. The revolt took Venice five years to quell. During Venetian rule, the Greek population of Crete was exposed to Renaissance culture. A thriving literature in the Cretan dialect of Greek developed on the island. The best-known work from this period is the poem "Erotokritos" by Vitsentzos Kornaros (Βιτσένζος Κορνάρος). Another major Cretan literary figure was Nicholas Kalliakis (1645–1707), a Greek scholar and philosopher who flourished in Italy in the 17th Century. Georgios Hortatzis was author of the dramatic work "Erophile". The painter Domenicos Theotocopoulos, better known as El Greco,
Johann Georg Schmidt (painter) Johann Georg Schmidt (painter) Johann Georg Schmidt (c.1685 – 15 September 1748) was an Austrian Baroque painter. To distinguish him from his better-known namesake Martin Johann Schmidt from Krems ("Kremser Schmidt") he was also known as the "Viennese Schmidt" ("Wiener Schmidt"). Johann Georg Schmidt was born in Bohemia. He was educated in the studio of Peter Strudel and was influenced by Martino Altomonte. He often worked with architects such as Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt. He worked especially in Lower Austria and Vienna, on high altarpieces and other paintings, in places such as the Franciscan Church, Vienna, Altenburg Abbey, Klosterneuburg Priory,