siRnaRis muzeumi

saqarTvelos erovnuli muzeumi museum siRnaRis xedi View of Signagi siRnaRis regioni Signagi Region

qalaqi siRnaRi kaxeTis teritoriaze, qiz- The city of Signagi is located in ’s iyis regionSi mdebareobs. qiziyi adreul region of Kiziki. Early historic documents call it istoriul dokumentebSi kambeCovanis Kambechovani. The sources describe the place saxeliT gvxvdeba. mas `ubatono qveyanas~ “land without the lord” only subordinate to the uwodebdnen, romelic uSualod mefes emor- king. Cileboda. The region became more advanced during the aRniSnuli regioni gansakuTrebiT qarTl- realm of Erekle II (1744-1789), the king of Kartl- kaxeTis mefis, erekle-II mmarTvelobis dros Kakheti. In 1762 He renovated the 2,5 km long (1744-1789 ww.) gaZlierda. man 1762 wels ga- stone Wall of Signagi with 23 towers and five naaxla `galavani siRnaRisa~, romlis gan- arched gates. Each tower and gate was given sakuTrebulobas ganapirobebs 40 heqtarze a name of Kakhatian villages (Magaro, Shilda, ganlagebuli grZeli (2,5km) qviTkiris , Bodbe, Vakiri e.a.). During invasions, the zRude 23 koSkiTa da 5 TaRovani karibWiT. castle would harbor residents and cattle from the calkeuli koSkisa da karibWisaTvis soflis neighboring villages. In war times every village saxelebi (maRaro, Silda, mirzaani, bodbe, would stand for its tower. vaqiri da sxva) daurqmeviaT. mtris Semose- With the collapse of the Kartl-Kakheti kingdom, in visas, cixe-galavanSi mezobeli soflebis 1802 Signagi became center of the administrative mosaxleoba saqonelTan erTad afarebda district in the with a strategic Tavs. brZolis dros yvela sofeli Tavis importance because it bordered with Char- aSenebul koSks icavda. Belakan and . By the decision of the qarTl-kaxeTis samefos gauqmebis Semdeg, Governor General of the Caucasus, 44th regiment 1802 wlidan, siRnaRi samazro centri gaxda. of the Russian Imperial Army was deployed to mas, War-belaqanTan da daRestanTan mosaz- the district with a task to provide security for the Rvreobis gamo, gansakuTrebuli strategiu- entire region. li mniSvneloba mieniWa. amitomac, kavkasiis In mid 19th c. town life style prevails in Signagi mTavarmarTeblis gadawyvetilebiT, mazra- with salon gatherings for the elite tea drinking and Si ruseTis imperatoris `44-e niJegorodis intellectual discussions. dragunTa~ polki ganTavsda, romelsac re- gionis dacva daevala. By the end of 19th c. a traveling theatre troupe was set up in Signagi. Musician trios playing Georgian XIX saukunis II naxevridan siRnaRSi fexs and oriental instruments were a popular attraction. ikidebs qalaquri cxovrebisaTvis damaxa- Several musical salons were created. Eventually siaTebeli, salonuri tipis saRamoebi, sa- Signagi became a cultural and trade center of the dac, umTavresad, inteleqtualuri elita region. ikribeboda.

XIX saukunis bolosaTvis, siRnaRSi Seiqmna moZravi Teatraluri dasi, Camoyalibda qarTuli da aRmosavluri sakravieri sam- usiko dasebi, iqmneboda musikaluri sa- lonebi. siRnaRi regionis kulturul da savaWro centrad iqca.

3 siRnaRis muzeumi Signagi Museum kolorituli arqiteqturiT, mimzidveli Signagi is one of the liveliest tourist centers of geografiuli mdebareobiTa da unikaluri marked with charismatic architecture, eTnografiiT siRnaRi saqarTvelos erT- attractive geographic location and indigenous erTi yvelaze aqtiuri turistuli centria. ethnography. istoriul wyaroebSi qalaqi siRnaRi XVIII Historic chronicles first mention Signagi in the saukunis me-II naxevridan moixsenieba. second half of the 18th c. In 1802, after abolishment qarTl-kaxeTis samefos gauqmebis Semdeg, of the Kartl-Kakheti kingdom, Signagi became the 1802 wlidan, siRnaRi samazro centri xdeba center of the regional administrative unit created da ekonomikuri da kulturuli ganviTare- by Russia. During the same period, Signagi reached bis piks aRwevs. its prime in economic and cultural development.

Tavdapirvelad muzeumi aq 1950 wels daars- The Museum in Signagi was founded in 1950. It da. 2007 wels igi saqarTvelos erovnul joined the Georgian National Museum in 2007. The muzeums SeuerTda. axali Senoba srulad building is now completely renovated, security SekeTda, damontaJda usafrTxoebis siste- systems installed, collections updated, and new mebi, Seivso muzeumis fondebi, moewyo axali expositions organized. eqspoziciebi. Signagi Museum is the first in the history of siRnaRis muzeumi saqarTvelos uaxles is- contemporary Georgia to meet the standards toriaSi pirvelia, romelic srulad akmay- of modern museography. The Museum houses ofilebs Tanamedrove samuzeumo standart- rich ethnographic, archaeological and medieval ebs. aq daculia mdidari eTnografiuli, da collections. Niko Pirosmanashvili’s magnificent arqeologiuri masala. painting collection is a true asset to the Museum. muzeumis erT-erT mTavar RirsSesaniSnao- bas ki niko firosmanis namuSevrebis brwyin- vale koleqcia warmoadgens.

4 xedi sakonferencio darbazidan View from the conference room

5 6 arqeologiis darbazi Archaeology hall

7 8 Sua saukuneebis darbazi Middle age hall

9 eTnografiis darbazi Ethnography hall

arRani Arghani (Barrel organ) XIX s-is dasasruli Wood, incrustation. 19th c 10 niko firosmani losnoTa mepatroneTaTvis abrebsa da suraTebs. ojaxi ar hyolia. dro- dadro SeZlebisdagvarad qiraobda niko firosmanaSvili (firosmani) patara oTaxs sardafSi an kibis qveS, daibada 1862 wels, kaxeTis sofel xSirad Rames aTevda iq, sadac muSa- mirzaanSi (qiziyi), glexis ojaxSi. obda. firosmanis arsebobis mizani, igi adre daoblda da kaxeTis mdi- mowodeba, xatva iyo. mas Semoqmedis darma memamuleebma, kalantaro- gansakuTrebuli TviTdarwmune- vebma iSviles. male kalantarovebi bulobis, yvelasagan gamorCeulo- sacxovreblad TbilisSi gadavid- bis SegrZneba hqonda da garegnu- nen, sadac nikom TiTqmis mTeli ladac gansxvavdeboda Tavisi gare- cxovreba gaatara. profesiuli mocvisagan: icvamda `evropulad~, ganaTleba ar miuRia. damoukide- atarebda pijaks, xan qurTuks, rbi- blobis mosapoveblad xan Tbilisis li Teqis farTofarflian quds. duqnebSi, xan rkinigzaze muSaobda. 1912 wels qarTuli, rusuli da ev- Seecada komerciuli saqmianobisT- ropuli avangardis aqtiurma war- visac moekida xeli, magram warmate- momadgenelma –poetma ilia zdane- bas ver miaRwia. Tavs irCenda imiT, viCma (iliazdi) Tavis ZmasTan, mxat- rom xSirad lukma-puris, sasmelisa var kirile zdaneviCsa da mxatvar da saRebavebis safasurad xatavda mixeil le-dantiusTan erTad aR- duqnebis, ludxanebisa da saxe- moaCina firosmani da 1913 wels, av-

firosmanis darbazi Pirosmani hall

11 angardistul gamofenaze –`miSen~ (samizne), moskovSi, misi suraTebi pirvelad warmoadgina. Niko Pirosmanashvili (1862-1918) was born ilia zdaneviCma Semdgomi popula- to a peasant family in one of the regions of rizaciac gauwia mxatvars: aqveyneb- Georgia – Kakheti, in the village of Mirzaani. Or- da statiebs, sakuTar saxlSi, Tbi- phaned at an early age Nikala was adopted by lisSi, 1916 wels, moawyo misi gamo- the rich family of Kalantarovs living in Kakheti. fena. qarTvelma mxatvrebma, farTo Soon Kalantarovs moved to where Piro- sazogadoebam firosmani aRiara, smani spent the rest of his life. He had never Tumca misi cxovreba tragikulad received a professional education. Art was the dasrulda – firosmani 1918 wels goal of his whole being, his life’s vocation. For martoobaSi gardaicvala, ise, rom mere subsistence, he occasionally worked in misi saflavi dRemde ucnobia. Tbilisi “dukhans” (tavern), or at the rail station.

saaRdgomo batkani Lamb, Easter table and angels 1914-15, muSamba, zeTi. 80x100 sm 1914-15, oil on oil-cloth. 80x100 cm

12 He did attempt to set up a business, but to no 1916. Pirosmani’s photo and a reproduction of avail. The artist’s life was hard and tragic. He of- his painting were published in the newspaper ten made his living by drawing signboards and “Tsnobis Purtseli” (“Messenger”). Pirosmani paintings for dukhan, pub and workshop own- was being recognized by Georgian artists and ers in exchange for bread, wine and paint. The the broad public. Shortly after, for some curi- artist was homeless and lonely. Whenever he ous reason that still remains unsolved, the could afford it, he would rent a small room in same newspaper published the artist’s carica- the basement or under the staircase. He would ture. This had a fatal impact on the artist’s life – often spend the night where he worked. Scarce Pirosmani’s inner and physical state worsened. and randomly told stories portray the image of From time to time, the admirers of his art paid a man with deep spirituality and original men- him visits to offer help. In 1916, young artists tality. He was aware that he stood out from the , David Kakabadze, Mikhail people of his world and that he possessed the Chiaureli visited him. He was last seen by Lado unique self-assertion of a creator. He did con- Gudiashvili in 1917. Pirosmani passed away sider himself an artist and his looks differed as in loneliness and obscurity in 1918. Even the well: he dressed in a “European” style, he wore location of his grave remains unknown. As it suits or sometimes jackets and a wide-brimmed, usually is the case, after his death, the artist’s soft felt hat. works were collected and bought, references Pirosmani, as an artist, was first discovered about his life were sought, and publications in 1912 by Ilya Zdanevich (Ilyazd), a poet and started to flood the newspapers. Pirosmani’s an active representative of Georgian, Russian name and his works were famed and appreci- and European avant-garde, his brother art- ated worldwide. ist Kiril Zdanevich, and the artist Michael Le Dantiu. At the avant-garde exhibition “Mishen” Signagi Museum features 15 paintings by (Target) held in in 1913, Ilya Zdanev- Niko Pirosmanashvili, the greatest Georgian ich presented Pirosmani’s works to the public self-taught artist of the 19-20th c. Pirosmani for the first time and began promoting the art- was born in Kakheti’s village of Mirzaani, ist through different publications thereafter. therefore early period of his artistic career is He also arranged an exhibition for Pirosmani affiliated with Kakheti. His paintings do not fit in his art studio in 1916. Interest towards Piro- into the boundaries of any artistic trend. Piro- smani grew considerably. He was invited to smani’s works are of special importance both the meeting of “Georgian Artists’ Society” in for Georgian and the world art.

13 Sua saukuneebi

Sua saukuneebis eqspoziciaze warmodgenilia iberiis aRmosavleT provinciis, kaxeTis uZvelesi qalaqebis: beris, rusTavis, xoranTas, nekresis, xornabujis, gavazis, areSis, gremis, bazarisa da sxva dasaxlebebis saqalaqo cxovrebis nimuSebi V-dan XVIII saukunis CaTvliT. Sua saukuneebis eqspoziciaSi gansakuTrebuli adgili eTmoba daviT garejis samonastro kompleqsis arqeologiur nimuSebs. arqeologia arqeologia aris mecniereba, romelic nivTieri kulturis Zeglebis mixedviT kacobriobis istorias swavlobs. saqarTveloSi pirveli arqeologiuri gaTxrebi 1852 wels daarsebul kavkasiis muzeums ukavSirdeba. kaxeTSi intensiuri arqeologiuri samuSaoebi XX saukunis 60-iani wlebidan mimdinareobs. monapovari masalis didi nawili siRnaRis muzeumSia gamofenili da warmoadgens sayofacxovrebo da sakulto daniSnulebis nivTebs qvis xanidan Zv.w. I saukunemde. eTnografia eTnografia xalxis yofisa da kulturis Semswavleli mecnierebaa. saqarTveloSi eTnografias udidesi tradicia aqvs. qarTveluri tomebis zne-Cveulebebisa da yofa-cxovrebis amsaxveli eTnografiuli monacemebi jer kidev asurul, xeTur, urartul da sxva damwerlobebSi gvxvdeba. siRnaRis muzeumSi Tavmoyrilia mravalferovani eTnografiuli masala: musikaluri instrumentebi, sabrZolo iaraRi, tanisamosi da qalaquri yofis amsaxveli saintereso nimuSebi Middle Ages

Medieval exposition features samples of the 4th-18th c. city life from the settlements of eastern Iberia such as Beri, , Khoranta, Nekresi, Khornabuji, Gavazi, Areshi, Gremi, and Bazari. Special place at the Medieval exposition is granted to archaeological finds from David Gareja monastic complex.

Archaeology

Archeology is a science studying the history of mankind through the monuments of material culture. The first archaeological digs in Georgia are affiliated with the Caucasus Museum founded in 1852. Intensive archaeological activities started in Kakheti in the 1960-ies. Majority of the unearthed items such as household and cultic articles ranging in time from the Stone Age to the 1st c. BC, are now displayed at the Signagi Museum.

Ethnography

Ethnography is a science exploring life and culture of ethnos. Georgia is a country of rich ethnographic traditions. Ethnographic data describing customs and life of Kartvelian tribes is preserved in Assyrian, Hittite and Urartian sources. Signagi Museum features diverse ethnographic material: musical instruments, weapons, vestments and items reflecting the lifestyle of this town. 16

Tbilisi - siRnaRi - Tbilisi

eqskursiaSi Sedis: Tour consists of:

TbilisSi saqarTvelos erovnuli Visiting permanent or temporary exhibition at muzeumis mudmivi an mimdinare the Georgian National Museum; gamofenis daTvaliereba; Bus trip; mgzavroba avtobusiT; Guide service; gidis momsaxureba; Excursion to Signagi Historical-Ethnographical eqskursia siRnaRis istoriul- Museum; eTnografiul muzeumSi; City tour; qalaqis turi; Visiting Bodbe Nunnery; bodbis dedaTa monastris monaxuleba sakontaqto telefoni: (32) 99 80 22 Contact telephone: (+995 32) 99 80 22 E-mail:EEE [email protected] E-mail:EEE [email protected] saqarTvelos erovnuli muzeumis Educational Centre of Georgian National saganmanaTleblo centri Museum samuSao saaTebi: Ticket price: 10.00-17.00 sT yoveldRe, orSabaTis garda Adults: 1.50 GEL bileTis fasi: 1.50 lari University and college students: 1.00 GEL moswavleTaTvisa da studentebisaTvis: 1.00 lari Schoolchildren groups (max. 15): 0.50 GEL skolis moswavleTa jgufisaTvis * Children under age six, groups of homeless children, (maqs. 15 bavSvi): 0.50 lari Georgian and international museum staff, people 6 wlamde asakisa da usaxlkaro bavSvebisaTvis with disabilities, professionals and students engaged (jgufi), ucxoeTisa da saqarTvelos in museum activities (all with valid identification muzeumebis TanamSromlebisaTvis, I da documents) are admitted for free. II jgufis invalidebisaTvis, samuzeumo saqmesTan dakaSirebuli specialistebisa da studentebisaTvis (saTanado mowmobebis warmodgenisas) Sesvla ufasoa

19 siRnaRis muzeumi Signagi Museum rusTavelis Cixi #8 8, Rustaveli blind alley 4200 siRnaRi 4200 Signagi saqarTvelos erovnuli muzeumi The Georgian National Museum rusTavelis gamz. 3 3, Rustaveli ave. 0105 Tbilisi 0105 Tbilisi, Georgia tel: (+995 32) 998022 Tel.: (+995 32) 998022 faqsi: (+995 32) 982133 Fax: (+995 32) 982133 [email protected] [email protected] www.museum.ge www.museum.ge

2008 wlis aprilSi, `saqarTvelos bankma~ In April 2008, with the joint effort of Bank of Georgia da saqarTvelos erovnulma muzeumma ga- and the National Museum of Georgia, the $1,000,000 naxorcieles erToblivi proeqti, romlis designated for Bank of Georgia’s massive deposit raffle farglebSic `saqarTvelos bankis~ anabre- were placed in Signagi Museum. The exhibit will be on bis gaTamaSebisaTvis gankuTvnili erTi display till the end of December 2008. In May 2008, milioni aSS dolari siRnaRis muzeumSi Bank of Georgia, charity foundation Iavnana and the erT-erTi eqsponatis saxiT, dekembris National Museum of Georgia started a joint project for bolomde ganTavsda. amave wlis maisSi, the visitors of Signagi Museum. The visitors can now `saqarTvelos bankis~, saqvelmoqmedo fon- make a donation, starting from GEL 1 at the museum dis `iavnana~ da erovnuli muzeumis saer- and receive the orange bracelet- the symbol of the To iniciativiT, fond `iavnanas~ saqvel- Iavnana foundation support. moqmedo aqciaSi CarTva siRnaRis muzeumis damTvaliereblisTvisac gaxda SesaZle- beli. nebismieri odenobis Tanxis gaRebis SemTxvevaSi, muzeumis damTvalierebeli `iavnanas~ aqciis mxardaWeris simbolos - narinjisfer samajurs miiRebs.