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Nikoloz Aslanis Dze Pirosmanashvili, or Niko Pirosmani, was a self-taught Georgian painter (from the Georgia that's a nation in the Caucuses, not the Georgia that's part of the US,) who lived from 1862 to 1918. He must have truly loved to paint, for he lived most of his life in utter obscurity, trading his paintings for food and shelter. He was "discovered" by the art world only toward the end of his life, and doesn't seem to have really understood what all of that fuss and bother meant. Poor Niko got sick, and with no one to look after him, soon died.
Today, Pirosmani's art is well-respected in his homeland, and he graces the Georgian 1 Lari bill:
For more information on Porosmani, I recommend his biography on Olga's Gallery (an art website,) his Wikipedia Page, or Soviet Life Magazine, 1969. (Why was I reading Soviet Life? Research.)
Anyway, here are some of his paintings I enjoyed:
A Boy Carrying Food
Threshing Yard, Evening
Cook
Gate Keeper
Feast in a Gazebo
Shepherd in a Sheepskin Coat on a Red Background
Tatar--Camel Driver
Train in Kakhetia
Donkey Bridge
Signboard: Wine Pub
Party by the River Zkheniszkali
Kakhetia Sagas, Alazan Valley
Kakhetia Sagas, Alazan Valley, detail
Kakhetia Sagas, Alazan Valley, detail
Batumi
Hunting Scene with a View of the Black Sea
The Tiflis Funicular
Prayer in a Village
Robber with a Stolen Horse
Wedding in the Old-Time Georgia
Grape Harvest Feast
Shamil with a Bodyguard
Shepherd with Flock
Kind of like Emily Dickinson; a recluse whose work was not celebrated until later. Interesting that he's become such an icon in Georgia.
ReplyDeleteYes, though in Pirosmani's case, I suspect he was more isolated than reclusive. Just doing his thing, with no idea that the outside world had noticed or even cared about his art. A pity he died the way he did. He probably had many more paintings left to paint!
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