Old Tbilisi in the Works of Armenian Artists of XIX-XX Centuries

Abstract

At the very beginning of the 19th century, after being declared the administrative center of Transcaucasus, Tbilisi became a creative hub. The long-term coexistence of different ethnic groups created a sort of mosaic of traditions and cultures - Multicultural Tbilisi.

Before the empire's entry, Armenian painting in Georgia had a long history. Already from the 17th century, there were Armenian artists' families in Tbilisi. The oldest famous family of Hovnathanians has lived in Tbilisi since the 17th century. Later, the families of Bajbeuk-Melikyans, Bayakhchevs, Dilbaryans, Manoyans, Elibekyans, Mirzoyans, and other artists were added to the lineages of Armenian artists.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Armenian artists considered themselves an integral part of Tbilisi culture and an organic part of Georgian Culture, participating in the exhibitions of the “Caucasian Fine Art Promotion Society" established in 1887. The emotional background of their creativity was created by Tbilisi's landscape, architecture, and the somewhat theatrical presence of its citizens.

For Armenian artists, the topic of Tbilisi is so multifaceted and extensive that it is impossible to discuss even one part of it in one article fully. The purpose of the article is to show that the topic is still not fully explored (especially the repressed artists of the 1937s), and the search and collection of works and references continue. I tried to make a small contribution to this search - K. Grigoryants's „Tamar the Great and Shota Rustaveli“ will occupy a worthy place in the list of the artist's works.