Art of the mythical torchbearer of Georgian art – Niko Pirosmani, is often associated with certain stories and memories. Here are some of them that will make the visit to the Pirosmani paintings in the Georgian National Gallery that much more precious.
The National Gallery houses the largest collection of Pirosmani paintings, which are almost always on display. The entry fee being between 2-3USD for adults and free for children under 6.
Fisherman
If any artwork of Pirosmani holds a mythical status in the country, it is the “Fisherman”. It is the painting you learn about in school, one you see on T-shirts, bags, cups and colouring books – in fact, it is hard to find a child that hasn’t at some point redrawn or coloured it in with paints, pencils or sparkle pens using far more vibrant colours. It is an artwork that doesn’t only describe the artist’s unique art style and sensibilities, but it has also seeped into the current culture as one of the most distinguishable icons. There’s also a case of the massive Simpsonified “Fisherman” graffiti near Fabrika, which is also definitely a fun destination.
Actress Margarita
The story of “Actress Margarita” is no less riveting. Marguerite de Sèvres was a French actress and singer, who came to Tbilisi as a destination for her musical tour. According to legend, upon seeing her, Pirosmani fell so deeply and irreversibly in love that he sold his small tavern, bought all the flowers in the city, heaped them onto nine carts and lay a blanket of field-flowers and roses on Margarita’s street in demonstration of his love. Though believed to only be a myth, the legend of Pirosmani’s pure love still remains one of the most iconic love stories of Georgia. Ans it is said that in 1969, when Niko’s artworks were on display in Louvre, elderly Margarita would visit the painting of her daily.
Meezove
The story of “Gardener” or “Meezove” is connected to that of Margarita. After the actress went back to Paris, Niko was inconsolable, grieving over lost love and left with no means to support himself. The gardener found him, listened to his story and offered him a little storage room beneath the stairs as shelter. The storage room was in a garden the Meezove used to clean up, so he often checked on the artist, bringing him food. Grateful, Pirosmani painted a portrait of the old man, as he had no other means of repaying the kindness shown to him. But his present turned out to be more than enough, as the gardener was apparently over the top with happiness when presented with the painting.
Giraffe
With the expressive nature and piercing gaze of Pirosmani’s “Giraffe” one might think he painted it after seeing it in the zoo, but there’s a little catch. For the past few years a confusion has been going about in Tbilisi – many people remember seeing a Giraffe at the Zoo, and quite vividly too. But the extensive dive into the zoo’s history proved that really, there never was one. And Pirosmani, like the rest of Tbilisi locals, didn’t actually have an opportunity to see one in flesh. In fact, the inspiration for the painting came from a picture of an illustrated giraffe in the newspaper.
Qeipi
Pirosmani is also known for painting many a depiction of “Qeipi”. Preserved through both turbulent and peaceful times, “Qeipi” is a tradition of a feast, with enough wine, music and entertainment to consider it a party. Especially in old Tbilisi back in Niko’s times, the culture of feasting was flourishing. Many new douqans were popping up all over the place giving birth to a new type of city nightlife – apparently the tune of Duduk could be heard from dusk till morning. Pirosmani’s “Feast (qeipi) of Five Princes” is a perfect representation of this tradition that is even today the highlight of many holidays.
In 2019, a painting of Pirosmani, called “Georgian Woman Wearing a Lechaki” was presented at Sotheby’s auction in London. The artwork, having at one point been in the possession of Austrian writer Stefan Zweig (1881-1942), was sold for 2.2 million euros ($ 2.84 million), exceeding the estimate three times. More recently in 2023, 48 of Pirosmani’s artworks were showcased for the first time in Northern Europe, more specifically in Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Hummelbeck, Denmark and the Beyeler Foundation in Switzerland, St. Rien. After a successful tour, the pieces are once again ready for visitors in the National Gallery of Georgia.
