He spent the latter half of his life in Venice, where he was parish priest of the church of San Giorgio dei Greci and a member of the Flanginian School run by the city's Greek Confraternity.

Tzanes wrote icons in the style of the Cretan School, influenced by contemporary trends in Venetian painting.

In March of that year he applied to become the priest of San Giorgio dei Greci, offering to paint the church for free, but was initially turned down in favor of Skoufos.

He served both Catholic and Greek Orthodox clients and produced works of all sizes, from small icons and triptychs to monumental paintings and sanctuary doors.

Adhering to the Cretan School style which he learned in Rethymno, his paintings are dated and often include clients' portraits.