Dimitrios Galanis enrolled at the Aristotle University to study Structural Engineering between 1897 and 1899. In 1899, he attended drawing lessons with Nikiforos Lytras and a year later he left for Paris to study at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts.

Between 1901 and 1912 he collaborated as a cartoon artist with magazines such as the Soleil de Dimanche, Frou-Frou, Le Rire, Le Sourire, L’Assiette au Beurre and Le Conard Sauvage.

In 1909 Galanis settled down in Montmartre where he socialized with Matisse, Picasso, Braque, Gris and Derrain, with the last one establishing a close lifetime friendship.

From 1918 onwards, he illustrated a number of books with wood engravings, such as ‘Voyage musical aux pays du Passe’ by R. Rolland and ‘Album de quatres nature mortes’.

In 1922, Galanis had his first solo exhibition in Paris, introduced by Andre Malraux. The show received enthusiastic critical response that established his reputation as a painter.

Between 1930 and 1937 he was teaching the art of engraving, from his studio, to Greek art students in Paris such as Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghika and Polykleitos Rengos.

In 1945, he was elected a Professor at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and a lifelong member of the prestigious Academie Francaise.

During his lifetime, Galanis received more critical acclaim abroad than any other Greek modern artist of the early 20^th century.

His work can be found at the National Gallery of Greece, the Benaki Museum, the Municipal Gallery of Athens, the Municipal Gallery of Rhodes, the Leventis Gallery, the Koutlides collection, the Averoff Gallery, the Katsigras Museum, the National Bank of Greece, the Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris and in many private collections in Greece and internationally.