Fine Art in Art Palace

The late 19th century painting 'The Bazaar in Samarkand' belongs to one of the earliest Georgian representatives of the Realist School - Gigo Gabashvili, who was a prominent Georgian painter and educator. His work is known for covering a wide range of subjects, landscapes and scenes of everyday life through an orientalist lens. Gabashvili was educated at the Imperial Academy of Arts (1886–1888) and the Munich Academy of Fine Arts (1894–1897).

Returning to his homeland, he made a debut as the first artist to have been honored with a personal exhibition in Tbilisi. Gabashvili was one of the founding professors of the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts (1922) and was granted the title of the People's Artist of the Georgian SSR (1929).

He remained a staunch realist and made known his opposition to left-wing art.

Georgian avant-garde painter, graphic artist and scenic designer David Kakabadze, also was an art scholar and innovator in the field of cinematography as well as an amateur photographer. In 1916, he graduated from natural sciences at the St. Petersburg University. From 1919 to 1927, he lived in Paris where he published several books and partook in the “Société des Artistes Indépendants” exhibitions. He paid generous tribute to cubism. The artist lectured on various aspects of visual arts in Paris and developing his interest in kinetic form, in 1923 he constructed a film camera that produced an illusion of depth and thus became one of the pioneers of three-dimensional cinema.

The artist lectured on various aspects of visual arts in Paris and developing his interest in kinetic form, in 1923 he constructed a film camera that produced an illusion of depth and thus became one of the pioneers of three-dimensional cinema.

The painter of the dinamic scene of Georgian improvised masquerade folk theatre is Lado Gudiashvili (1896-1980) – one of the important representatives of the 20th-century Georgian Art. He was a graphic artist, theatre and movie painter, illustrator who lived and studied in Paris. Gudiashvili participated in exhibitions including the Salon d’Automne and Les Independants. His works were exhibited in Belgium, United States, Madrid, Paris, etc. 

Gudiashvili was a friend of A. Modigliani, H. Matisse, F. Leger and others.

In 1946, he painted the walls of the Georgian church in capital city -Tbilisi, which entailed his exclusion from the Communist Party and dismissal from the Tbilisi Academy of Arts.

Gudiashvili created his own rich world of artistic images.

The depiction reveals a scene of ancient Georgian theatre performance - 'Khanate'. The whole play needed a lot of preparation. It included several ceremonies.

Dressing of the Khan, the raiding of towns, a court, a fight between a king and a khan and the throwing of the defeated Khan into the river. The latter act is reflected in this picture by Lado Gudiashvili.

The khan's clothing is quite strange, with some wearing the full-dress coat of a drunken captain. The Khan painted by Gudiashvili wears such a costume. The wooden sword is also a notable point and on the top of it, there should have been an apple, which was a very important detail in the show.

In this picture, the King is sitting on a camel, holding a sword and giving the order to throw the defeated Khan into the river Kura.

Simon (Soliko) Virsaladze (1909-1989) was a Georgian and one of the Soviet Union's leading designers of ballet, film and opera. Although he went on to design for plays, operas, and films it is as a ballet designer that he made his name. He was chief designer for the Z. Paliashvili Theatre for Opera and Ballet in Tbilisi and also, chief designer of the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow from 1964 until his death. 

Shakespeare’s tragedies have been actively played on many a Georgian stage. The love of Shakespeare is also reflected in Georgian Art. Georgian founder of realism, Alexander Beridze (1858-1917), “was so fascinated with Mari Sapharova as the character Ophelia that he by rote colorfully painted her picture in the role."

The original painting dated by late 18th century, is created in papier-mâché and oil in the territory of Iran. Just like in Jewish and Christian traditions, Islam promotes the ancient king Solomon as a model ruler, wise and just. This painting celebrates one element of the considerable lore about Solomon that developed outside of Orthodox scriptural accounts: the belief that Solomon’s influence was so great that he was able to rule the kingdoms of animals and angels. Images of Solomon’s court populated by all manner of creatures, celestial beings, and even demons, were very popular in the court of the Ottoman rulers of Turkey.