The Mirrored Decor in Interiors of the Tbilisi Buildings in the Middle – Second Half of the 19th Century
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.main##
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.sidebar##
Abstract
The article is devoted to the mirrored interiors of Georgia. The study examines the architectural monuments of Tiflis (now Tbilisi). The research is partly based on the materials of the author’s observations in Tbilisi and the interviews conducted by the author with the experts on Georgian architectural monuments in 2021.
In the current capital of the country, several mirror halls connected to the lobby are located on the third floor of the Tbilisi Opera House (25 Rustaveli Street). They were made after a fire in 1874 in a newly constructed building at the end of the 19th century, reopened in 1896, with the elements of Persian and Neo-Moorish styles.
The building, known in Tbilisi as the Arshakuni Palace, was commissioned by a wealthy Persian of Armenian descent during 1856–1860. Therefore, the scope for the ensemble of the Arshakuni Palace in Tbilisi was chosen to be truly imperial, shahic. Such a demanding decor of the environment here was enriched by the synthesis of faceted glass, carved alabaster of Iranian caliber, made by invited Qajar masters, in symbiosis with a synthetic pro-European exquisite alfrey painting interspersed with motifs of various Asian cultures (such as oriental potpourri). Today Arshakuni Palace belongs to the complex of buildings of the Tbilisi Academy of Arts, named after Apollo Kutateladze (22 Griboyedov Street).
Adjacent to the same group of monuments are two mirror halls of the Vorontsov Palace, built in Tiflis in the middle of the 19th century by the legendary governor Mikhail Vorontsov (1782–1856, Caucasian governor 1844–1854). It is known that the prince tried to unite the elite of the region after the Russian occupation, and even tried to communicate and speak in Georgian. However, although the building became such an outpost of the Russian Empire in the Caucasus, it acquired its final appearance after his governorship, when it was radically rebuilt between 1865 and 1868. The ballroom of this ensemble in 6 Rustaveli Street in its artistic and figurative and compositional-zonal component is extremely similar to the large hall of the building of the Tbilisi Academy of Arts named after Apollo Kutateladze with a stage on the second floor.
It is also known about the mirror halls of Tiflis locations that are currently in private use, access to which is still limited. These are buildings in the historic center of the Old Town. In particular, the home of the Persian mirror making master Abdullah on Harpukha (former district of Seydabad, founded in the 17th century by a descendant of Shah Abbas – Shah Sefi), and the house of Mirza Riza-khan in Sololaki (11 Chonkidze Street), most of the equipment of which is lost. The latter was decorated with mirror mosaics by Persian master Mirza Mohammad Kazwini. He may be descended from the legendary calligraphers of Kazvin who decorated the architecture of Tehran with verses and ornamented the Shah manuscripts of the Shakhid type. The legacy of these two mirror interiors of Tbilisi of the 19th century can be studied in detail from archival and field data over time.
How to Cite
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.details##
Mirrored Interiors, Georgia, Tbilisi, 19th century, Neo-Moorish style
ЛІТЕРАТУРА
Бугаева А. Г. Российско-иранские торговые и дипломатические отношения первой половины XIX века // Известия РГПУ им. А. И. Герцена, 2008, № 55.
Грибоедов А. С. Записка о переселении армян из Персии в наши области // Полное собрание сочинений. Т. 3. Петроград, 1917.
Дьомін М., Івашко Ю., Резга К. Мечеті Алжиру: архітектурні та урбаністичні аспекти / За ред. М. М. Дьоміна. Київ – Краків, 2019.
Куроедов В. П. Зеркальные украшения (из путевых заметок) // Зодчий: архитектурный и художественно-технический журнал, издаваемый обществом архитекторов, 1878, № 12.
Миклашевская Н. Художники XIX века Мирза Кадым Эри вани и Мир Мохсун Навваб // Искусство Азербайджана. Т. IV. Баку, 1954.
Школьна О. Арабське мистецтво та сучасна специфіка його наукового вивчення // Художня культура. Актуальні проблеми. Вип. 13. 2017a.
Школьна О. Західно-азійські рефлексії у сучасному європейському дизайні інтер’єрів // Сучасне мистецтво. Вип. XIII. 2017b.
Abdullahi Y. and Embi M. R. B. Evolution of Islamic Geometric Patterns // Frontiers of Architectural Research. Vol. 2, Issue 2. 2013. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foar.2013.03.002
Abdullahi Y. and Embi M. R. Evolution of Abstract Vegetal Ornaments in Islamic Architecture // Archnet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research. Vol. 9, Issue 1. 2015. https://doi.org/10.26687/archnet-ijar.v9i1.558
Ahmadi F. Communication and the Consolidation of the British Position in the Persian Gulf, 1860s–1914 // Journal of Persianate Studies. Vol. 10, Issue 1. 2017. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/18747167-12341308
Alexidze M. Persians in Georgia (1801–1921) // Journal of Persianate Studies. Vol. 1, Issue 2. 2008. DOI: 10.1163/187471608786303894
Alexidze M., Beradze G., Koshoridze I. Arfa‘ ad-Dowle and Georgia. Tbilisi, 2017.
Alkhansari M. G. Analysis of the Responsive Aspects of the Traditional Persian House // Journal of Architecture and Urbanism, 2015, No. 39 (4). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3846/20297955.2015.1088414
Barrucand Marianne, Bednorz Achim. Moorish Architecture in Andalusia. Kӧln, 1992.
Bush Olga. Reframing the Alhambra: Architecture, Poetry, Textiles and Court Ceremonial. Edinburgh, 2018. DOI: 10.3366/edinburgh/9781474416504.001.0001
Grbanovic A. M. Beyond the Stylistic Idiosyncrasies: Notes regarding the Identity and Mobility of Ilkhanid Stucco Craftsmen in Central Iran // Proceedings of the 11th International Congress on the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East. Vol. 2: Field Reports. Islamic Archaeology / edited by L. Korn et al. 1st ed. Harrassowitz Verlag, 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv10tq3zv.54
Grigor Talinn. Persian Architectural Revivals in the British Raj and Qajar Iran // Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Vol. 36, Issue 3. 2016. DOI: 10.1215/1089201x-3698959
Hillenbrand R. The Role of Tradition in Qajar Religious Architecture // Qajar Iran. Political, Social and Cultural Change 1800–1925. Studies Presented to Professor L. P. Elwell Sutton / C. E. Bosworth and R. Hillenbrand (eds). Edinburgh, 1984.
O’Kane Bernard. Mosques: The 100 Most Iconic Islamic Houses of Worship. New York, [2019].
Khoshtaria D. Persian Master Builders in the Cities of the Nineteenth Century Georgia // Bulletin of the Georgian National Academy of Sciences. Vol. 13. No. 2. 2019.
Mahdi Nejad J., Taher Tolodel M., Azemati H., Sadeghi Habib Abad A. An Essay on Islamic-Iranian Architecture and Sacred Art Features in Terms of Architectural Excellence // Journal of Ontological Researches. Vol. 5, No. 10. 2017.
National Palace of Vorontcov іn Tbilici [in English and Georgian] / author of articles by Giorgi Kalandia, Nona Gaprindashvili, Temur Chkheidze, Lasha Tabukhashvili, Roin Metreveli, Marika Darchia, Manana Abramishvili, Rusudan Petviashvili, Pridon Sulaberidze, Zura Shevardnadze, Lana Gogoberidze. Tbilisi, 2019.
Shkolna Olga. Mirrored interiors of Iran palaces and holy places // PUA, 2019, No. 1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4467/00000000PUA.19.006.10009
Shkolnaya O. Mirrored interiors of Iranian and Caucasus architecture of the XVIII–XXI centuries // İncəsənət və mədəniyyət problemləri, 2020, № 1 (71).
The Iconography of Islamic Art: Studies in Honour of Robert Hillenbrand / edited by Bernard O’Kane. Edinburgh, 2007.
REFERENCES
Bugayeva A. G. (2008), “Rossiysko-iranskiye torgovyye i diplomaticheskiye otnosheniya pervoy poloviny XIX veka”, Izvestiya RGPU im. A. I. Gertsena, No. 55, pp. 30–36. (In Russian).
Griboyedov A. S. (1917), “Zapiska o pereselenii armyan iz Persii v nashi oblasti”, in Polnoye sobraniye sochineniy, Vol. 3, Petrograd. (In Russian).
D’omin M., Ivashko Yu. and Rezha K. (2019), Mecheti Alzhyru: arkhitekturni ta urbanistychni aspekty, M. M. D’omin (ed.), Kyiv and Krakow. (In Ukrainian).
Kuroyedov V. P. (1878), “Zerkal’nyye ukrasheniya (iz putevykh zametok)”, Zodchiy: arkhitekturnyy i khudozhestvenno-tekhnicheskiy zhurnal, izdavayemyy obshchestvom arkhitektorov, Saint-Petersburg, No. 12, pp. 122–124. (In Russian).
Miklashevskaya N. (1954), “Khudozhniki XIX veka Mirza Kadym Eri vani i Mir Mokhsun Navvab”, in Iskusstvo Azerbaydzhana, Vol. IV, Izdatel’stvo Akademii nauk Azerbaydzhanskoy SSR, Baku, pp. 84–108. (In Russian).
Shkolna O. (2017a), “Arabs’ke mystetstvo ta suchasna spetsyfika yoho naukovoho vyvchennya”, Khudozhnya kul’tura. Aktual’ni problemy, Issue 13, pp. 119–127. (In Ukrainian).
Shkolna O. (2017b), “Zakhidno-aziys’ki refleksiyi u suchasnomu yevropeys’komu dyzayni inter”yeriv”, Suchasne mystetstvo, Issue XIII, pp. 230–234. (In Ukrainian).
Abdullahi Y. and Embi M. R. B. (2013), “Evolution of Islamic Geometric Patterns”, Frontiers of Architectural Research, Vol. 2, Issue 2, pp. 243–251. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foar.2013.03.002
Abdullahi Y. and Embi M. R. (2015), “Evolution of Abstract Vegetal Ornaments in Islamic Architecture”, Archnet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research, Vol. 9, Issue 1, pp. 31–49. https://doi.org/10.26687/archnet-ijar.v9i1.558
Ahmadi F. (2017), “Communication and the Consolidation of the British Position in the Persian Gulf, 1860s–1914”, Journal of Persianate Studies, Vol. 10, Issue 1, pp. 73–86. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/18747167-12341308
Alexidze M. (2008), “Persians in Georgia (1801–1921)”, Journal of Persianate Studies, Vol. 1, Issue 2, pp. 254–260. DOI: 10.1163/187471608786303894
Alexidze M., Beradze G. and Koshoridze I. (2017), Arfa‘ ad-Dowle and Georgia, Artanuji Publishing, Tbilisi. (In Georgian).
Alkhansari M. G. (2015), “Analysis of the Responsive Aspects of the Traditional Persian House”, Journal of Architecture and Urbanism, No. 39 (4), pp. 273–289. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3846/20297955.2015.1088414
Barrucand Marianne and Bednorz Achim (1992), Moorish Architecture in Andalusia, Tashen, Kӧln.
Bush Olga (2018), Reframing the Alhambra: Architecture, Poetry, Textiles and Court Ceremonial, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh. DOI: 10.3366/edinburgh/9781474416504.001.0001
Grbanovic A. M. (2020), “Beyond the Stylistic Idiosyncrasies: Notes regarding the Identity and Mobility of Ilkhanid Stucco Craftsmen in Central Iran”, in L. Korn, A. Heidenreich, A. Otto, M. Herles, K. Kaniuth, L. Korn & A. Heidenreich (eds), Proceedings of the 11th International Congress on the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, Vol. 2: Field Reports. Islamic Archaeology, 1st ed., Harrassowitz Verlag, pp. 607–620. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv10tq3zv.54
Grigor Talinn. (2016), “Persian Architectural Revivals in the British Raj and Qajar Iran”, Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, Volume 36, Issue 3, pp. 384–397. DOI: 10.1215/1089201x-3698959
Hillenbrand R. (1984), “The Role of Tradition in Qajar Religious Architecture”, in C. E. Bosworth and R. Hillenbrand (eds), Qajar Iran. Political, Social and Cultural Change 1800–1925. Studies Presented to Professor L. P. Elwell Sutton, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, pp. 352–382.
O’Kane Bernard (2019), Mosques: The 100 Most Iconic Islamic Houses of Worship, Assouline, New York.
Khoshtaria D. (2019), “Persian Master Builders in the Cities of the Nineteenth-Century Georgia”, Bulletin of the Georgian National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 156–160.
Mahdi Nejad J., Taher Tolodel M., Azemati H., and Sadeghi Habib Abad A. (2017), “An Essay on Islamic-Iranian Architecture and Sacred Art Features in Terms of Architectural Excellence”, Journal of Ontological Researches, Vol. 5, No. 10, pp. 31–50.
National Palace of Vorontcov іn Tbilici (2019), authors of articles by Giorgi Kalandia, Nona Gaprindashvili, Temur Chkheidze, Lasha Tabukhashvili, Roin Metreveli, Marika Darchia, Manana Abramishvili, Rusudan Petviashvili, Pridon Sulaberidze, Zura Shevardnadze, Lana Gogoberidze, Tbilisi Municipality City Halls Printed and Bound at Cezanne ltd, Tbilisi. (In English and Georgian).
Shkolna Olga (2019), “Mirrored interiors of Iran palaces and holy places”, PUA, No. 1, pp. 75–85. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4467/00000000PUA.19.006.10009
Shkolnaya O. (2020), “Mirrored interiors of Iranian and Caucasus architecture of the XVIII–XXI centuries”, İncəsənət və mədəniyyət problemləri, No. 1 (71), pp. 60–80.
The Iconography of Islamic Art: Studies in Honour of Robert Hillenbrand (2007), Bernard O’Kane (ed.), Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.