The President of the Hellenic Parliament, Mr Nikitas Kaklamanis, inaugurated the Lola Daifa Exhibition of collectively decorated dishes entitled «History on the plate’, hosted in the hall of events of the House building on Amalia Avenue 22-24 and organized by the Library of Parliament.
As the Speaker of the House pointed out, “Lola Daifa's collectible dishes invite us to taste in a way understandable and pleasing to the great History, the history of Antiquity and Byzantium, the history of modern Greece, heroes, personalities, politicians, kings, great events."
Mr. Kaklamanis pointed out that about a hundred dishes chosen by the executives of the Library of the House through the rich collection of the collector in collaboration with her, "they are not only evidence of habits and culture of past times, but they give us a set of artistic and aesthetic self-sausty, and at the same time they are offered for pedagogical purposes." As he characteristically said "in the time when we live, "the age of the image", a child – but also we, say the "greatest children" ... – can learn about times historical through the attractive image of the dozens of dishes of the exhibition."
‘We have nothing but to “eat” together, taste history, art, culture, with “mostly a dish” the unique tradition of our country. You're all invited!“ the Speaker of the House concluded.
The story on the platesThe habit of portraying historical figures, kings, politicians or national heroes on board tableware began mainly in Europe from the 19th century, reaching free Greece around the middle of the century. The themes were enriched with ancient Greek themes, historical events, national benefactors, politicians, as well as scenes of everyday life.
As highlighted in the introductory text of the Exhibition, collector Lola Daifa is particularly interested in the lives of ordinary people and the "fate" of small creators whose works and traditions risk being lost over the years. So he decides to collect and rescue "life parts" by turning this engagement into a deeper passion.
The event was attended by the Secretary General of the House, Mr. Basil Bayokos and the representative of Archbishop of Athens and all Greece Jerome II, Panosios Archimandrite Father Dorotheos.
The exhibition will last from 17 June to 19 September 2026, in the building of the Hellenic Parliament with free entrance.
President of Parliament's greeting"There are various types of meals: meals official, family meals, meals daily, casual... Here, in the exhibition organized by the Library of the House, we are offered a very special lunch: a History Lunch.
And indeed, by surrounding the images that the dozens of these decorated dishes present to us, we get a full and varied taste of history and individual stories.
The collective dishes of Lola Daifa invite us to taste in a way that is understandable and pleasing the great History, the history of Antiquity and Byzantium, the history of modern Greece, heroes, personalities, politicians, kings, great events.
At the same time, we are told micro-histories, stories of everyday life, taken out of our simplest and necessary living needs, such as food, but in a way that results in real enjoyment, enjoyment, not material, but artistic, visual, at the same time educational, in an original and entertaining way.
Lola Daifa's unique collection of such decorated dishes is truly a pandae – colours, themes, decorative motifs – that challenges you to let your eye navigate the endless variety with which a single shape, the circle, can be invested.
Whoever has the fortune to visit the home of dear Lola Daifa, has certainly admired these special dishes, covering all the surfaces of the walls, creating a completely special decoration, but also overflowing into special dishcases.
Her collective love allows us to enjoy them, but also to study them here, in the exhibition area of the House building on Amalia Street, in a thematic exhibition, which intends not to exhaust the subject, but to initiate us into an interesting habit, that of decorative dishes with Greek themes.
A custom listed from Europe, where these dishes were also made, while they were ordered and traded by various Greek companies, mainly in island Greece. A habit that was very much loved in our land and spread.
I remember these dishes decorating the urban (especially the middle-class) houses and on my island, Andros. And I am happy to see them again, as old acquaintances, here in another frame of reference.
Our homes changed, our functional needs changed, our habits, along with our aesthetics changed. These imaginatively decorated dishes began to leave the walls and dishes of the houses. Thank God, passionate collectorsLike Lola Daifa, they've rescued them for all of us as Collected dishes now.
I say fortunately, because they are not only evidence of habits and culture of past times, but because they really give us an ensemble of artistic and aesthetic self-sausty, and at the same time they are offered for pedagogical purposes: in the time we live, "image age“a child – but also us, let’s say the “greatest children”... – can learn about historical times through the attractive picture of dozens of dishes in the exhibition.
This was also the goal of the library executives, who undertook to organize the exhibition on the subject, choosing about a hundred dishes from the Lolas Daifa collection, in collaboration with her, of course. I thank all those who have worked on this report, and of course many warm thanks to the collector herself, Mrs Daifa.
When History is offered to us on the dish – as the title of the exhibition finds out – then we have nothing but to respond to the invitation.
I think the nicest meals are those of which you don't remember after all the dishes, as well as the chaperones: lunch as an excuse for human contact, for sharing experiences, meanings and emotions.
The same applies to exhibitions and cultural events in general. Here, culture and "taste" (in the aforementioned sense) become one. Well, we have nothing but to "eat" together, taste history, art, culture, with "mostly dish" the unique tradition of our country.".