Gounaropoulos was born in Sozopoli, Bulgaria. He travelled to Greece when he was sixteen and went on to study in Paris. Gounaropoulos returned to Greece where he gained increasing artistic recognition. Though the artist’s early style was mostly impressionistic, his unique style began to develop as his career progressed. The artist is particularly known for his depiction of chromatic atmospheres and the symbolic use of female figures. After the artist’s death his studio was donated to the Municipality of Zografou, which helped to found the eponymous G. Gounaropoulos Museum.