Nikolaos Lytras was born in 1883 in Athens and was the son of the famous artist Nikiforos Lytras.

He had his first art lessons from his father and later studied at the School of Fine Art, Athens graduating with distinction.

In 1907 on a scholarship from the Panagia Evangelistria of Tinos Foundation he continued his studies at the Royal Academy of Fine Art, Munich in the workshop of L. von Lofftz.

In 1911 he returned to Greece and fought in the Balkan war of 1912-1913.

In 1917, together with Constantinos Parthenis, Konstantinos Maleas and Nikolaos Othoneos, among others, was a founding member of the avant-garde, art group ‘Ομάδα Τέχνης’ that introduced the international contemporary art movements to Greece.

He was elected a professor at the School of Fine Art, Athens in 1923. His contribution to the school was significant, as he encouraged the teaching of new modern movements and ideas in art that were occurring at the time. He was one of the first Greek artists to break away from the academic school of thought and embrace the teachings of modern art.

His work is found in many public and private collections, notably that of The National Gallery of Greece, the Athens Municipal Gallery, the National Bank of Greece, the Averoff Gallery and the Leventis Gallery.