By the way, we Piradovy - the indigenous inhabitants of Tbilisi. In the princely-noble families of Georgia in 1857, my great-grandfather is listed under number 87. I have a copy of this list, the original is kept in the Matenadaran in Yerevan. So, the painting "Portrait of the son" and "Portrait of Mother" Basil Piradova and became the basis of my collection.
New lesson completely fascinated me. I am sure that this is what has helped me in a difficult time of perestroika, when it was impossible to do science - it has not been - has helped to adapt to new conditions of life, retained powers of the soul, save me. Meetings with artists, art critics, interesting people, visiting studios, exhibitions and workshops - all supported me morally.
- How many paintings in the collection?
- Today we can talk about it seriously - more than a hundred.
- Only Armenian artists?
- Mostly, but there are also works by contemporary Georgian artists. I often give the picture, being sure that they have saved me. Cloths same Armenian artists I buy purposefully.
- Why this task you have set for yourself?
- At the beginning of XIX century in our city created Tiflisskaya school of modern painting. An inseparable part of it was the work of great portrait painter Akop Hovnatanian and Stefanos Nersessian.
At various times, worked here Bashinjaghyan G., E. Tatevosyan, A. Hakobyan, V. Hodzhabegov etc.
At the end of XIX century was created to promote the Caucasian Society of Fine Arts (copy), which operated School of Painting and Sculpture. In the copy studied many artists who later became known, for example Yervand Kochar. By the way, his work of this period, I recently purchased. It is dated 1916 year, while the author was only 17 years old, but the picture is professional.
In 1916 was organized by the Union of Armenian artists. It existed until 1921. Regularly open exhibitions, showrooms. We can say Tiflis became the cradle of a new Armenian art. Remembering all this, I set out to assemble the most complete collection of works by artists of Armenian born in Tbilisi. In my collection there are works like the creators of the older generation: G. Bashindgaghyan, E. Tatevosyan, A. Hakobyan, V. Gayfedzhyana, G. Grigoryan (Giotto), A. Bazhbeuk-Melikov, A. Dilbaryana, L. Bayahcheva - so and modern: Gayane Khachaturian, Robert Kondahsazova, Zuleyki Bazhbeuk-Melikov, Shamir Ter-Minasyan, Merujan Shahumyan.
- Aleksandr Bogdanovich, you're not only doing the gathering, but also to search, research, saving pictures from extinction, restore authorship. Tell us how you got the picture "Unemployment" French Armenian Edgar Shahin?
- Oh-oh, this is a very interesting story. Once on the street shabbily dressed old man asked me to buy from him now. When we arrived in his dark komorku in Avlabar, I almost went crazy when he saw the picture and especially after reading her inscription in French: "Monsieur Shirvanzade with admiration. Edgar Shahin, Paris, 1910. I paid the seller the amount which he called, and happy, took a unique work home. Later I learned that the famous writer Alexander Shirvanzade brought her back to Tbilisi from Paris, and already the heirs of his "unemployed" was sold.
- Great success of your collection - the famous artist Alexander Bazhbeuk-Melikov.
- I am proud of them. Special joy it gives me his "bath". After all, when I bought it, the byline was not, but knowing the technique, style of writing masters, suggested that this was one of his early works. I bought it. Subsequent research showed that: my intuition did not let down - the picture is written in the beginning of the XIX century and was painted by Alexander Bazhbeuk-Melikov.
- Imagine how much joy it was!
- Of course. Although I spend a lot of energy, forces on this, but doing everything at the call of the soul, I get great pleasure.
- I think you can tell how happy you brought not only themselves, but many viewers Tbilisi, showing them in March this year, paintings from his collection. How did the idea of the exhibition titled "Forgotten Names"?
- Many of the names of Armenian artists for another hearing in Tbilisi. But there are others about which I wanted to recall. Together with the Embassy of Armenia in Georgia (GA ambassador Khosroyev), the Union of Armenians of Georgia, Center for Cultural links "Caucasian house" and gallery "Sololaki" We opened the exhibition "Forgotten Names". I gave for this action of the TS Nalbandian, R. G. Nalbandian, VB Piradova, N. Alexanian-Shahaziz, AI Shamshinova, A. Hakobyan, M. H. Beck -- Marmarchevoy, DG Chislieva, MM Hununts and others - a total of 16 artists. Held grand opening. I told him about each work, its author. At the end of the evening the best artistic forces of Georgia was given a small concert. Vernissage was held at a high level. There were a lot of art historians, artists, intellectuals. It was an event about which he wrote the local newspaper, reported on television. And we have achieved our goal - was reminded that these painters lived and worked successfully in our city and left a deep imprint on its culture.
- Aleksandr Bogdanovich, and further plans for what?
- Upon his return home will begin preparatory work for the exhibition "Armenian artists Tiflis school of painting, which I intend first to be held in Tbilisi, then in Yerevan. And if conditions permit, bring it to Moscow.
In addition, I am completing work on the album, it will be released in the near future.
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