Germans in Georgia - Art, Architecture, Science: 200 years of Georgian-German relations

This year, 2017, is the 200^th anniversary of Georgian-German relations and the 25^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Georgia and Germany. As part of the celebrations the Georgian National Museum’s Dimitri Shevardnadze National Gallery in Tbilisi presents the exhibition "Germans in Georgia - Art, Architecture, Science" from 12-30 April 2017.

The relationship between the two countries, Georgia and Germany, began when the Germans first settled in Georgia 200 years ago. Georgia also attracted German scholars, architects, writers, artists, and representatives of business communities, who made great contributions to the country's development.

For example, German naturalist and ethnographer Gustav Radde initiated and founded the Caucasus Museum in 1965. During this period, distinguished representatives of German science and culture, including artists and researchers, were working in Georgia. German economic experts who worked or lived in Georgia include: Otto and Walter Siemens, the Hummel brothers, the Forrer Brothers, and Richard Semmel.

German scientists in Georgia included Julius Heinrich Klaproth who wrote a three-volume book on his travels in the Caucasus in 1807-1808. He was followed by morphologists Moritz von Engelhardt and Friedrich Parrot, the botanist Karl Koch, the natural scientists Moritz Wagner and Friedrich Kolenati who explored the glaciers. Gottfried Merzbacher created the first map of the Caucasus Mountains after his travels in 1891-1892. Arnold Moritz founded the first observatory in the Caucasus in 1850 – he was followed by Ferdinand Dohrand in 1877 and Johann Mielberg in 1878. From 1861 the botanist Heinrich Scharrer became the director of the Imperial Botanical Garden in Tbilisi, which he transformed into a research facility.

In architecture, the Georgian National Gallery, the Classical Gymnasium, and the city council building are some of the historic buildings built by German architects. Each building's architecture is a blend of the two country’s cultures.

Otto Jacob Simonson designed the façade of the Governor’s Palace on Rustaveli Avenue, and together with Heinrich Scharrer he designed Alexander Park in 1859. Albert Salzmann designed the women’s college on Gudiashvili Street, the Caucasus Museum and the Museum of Military History (which is now the National Gallery). Paul Stern, Ferdinand Lehmkuhl, Joseph Ditsmann, and Leopold Biefeld designed the City Hall and the Opera building.

The exhibition highlights paintings, graphic works, architectural drawings and photographs by German artists. Georgia-based German artists in the exhibition include: Oskar Schmerling, Teodor Horschelt, Boris Vogel, Max Tilke, Irina Steinberg, Richard Sommer, Alexander Salzmann and more.

For this exhibition, the Georgian National Museum partnered with the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, Berlin State Museums, The German Archaeological Institute, Senckenberg Museum, The Goethe institute, German Mining Museum and other organisations.

Boris Vogel, Northern View of Metechi 1934

Boris Vogel, Yerevan Square 1927

Richard Karl Sommer, Shah Ismail Moscque 1926

Richard Karl Sommer, Market Scene 1926

Paul von Franken, Old Tbilisi 1879

Franken's view in 2016

Helene Korber-Franken, Old Tbilisi 1854

Boris Vogel, Colourful Street 1928

Boris Vogel, Bath Street 1930

Boris Vogel, Botanical Street 1930

Botanical Street 2017

Botanical Street 2016

Boris Vogel, Old Tbilisi 1930

Vogel's view 2016

Oskar Schmerling, Tranportable Dowry (no date)

Oskar Schmerling, Barber Shop (no date)

Richard Karl Sommer, Recreation 1903

Paul von Franken, On the Banks of the Rioni 1879

Oskar Schmerling, Landscape 1930

http://museum.ge

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

2016 update on Rike Park, Tbilisi: from construction to busy park

From a flat patch of uninteresting dirt, Rike Park in Tbilisi, Georgia, has transformed in four years (from 2014-2016) into a busy park full of trees, flower beds, sculptures, fountains, and events. Rike (Rikhe) Park is on the left bank of the Mt’k’vari River (the Kura River) near the Old City of Tbilisi. The Peace Bridge links the right bank to Rike Park. Rike Park is below the hillside Presidential Palace and, via cable car, it is the starting point for the ride to Sololaki Ridge (with the Narikala Fortress and the Mother of Georgia statue). The glass box-shaped cable car terminus was opened on 23 June 2012, and since then the park has continually developed into a ‘people’s park’ where people can walk around, eat at the nearby restaurants, sit next to the statue of American president Ronald Reagan, climb the steps to Avlabari district, and access the sights of Meidan Square, the Peace Bridge, the Metekhi Church, the Old City, the waterfall, the sulphur baths, and t...

Pir-E-Kamil - The Perfect Mentor by Umera Ahmed: book review

The Perfect Mentor pbuh (2011) is set in Lahore and Islamabad in Pakistan. The novel commences with Imama Mubeen in medical university. She wants to be an eye specialist. Her parents have arranged for her to marry her first cousin Asjad. Salar Sikander, her neighbour, is 18 years old with an IQ of 150+ and a photographic memory. He has long hair tied in a ponytail. He imbibes alcohol, treats women disrespectfully and is generally a “weird chap” and a rude, belligerent teenager. In the past three years he has tried to commit suicide three times. He tries again. Imama and her brother, Waseem, answer the servant’s call to help Salar. They stop the bleeding from his wrist and save his life. Imama and Asjad have been engaged for three years, because she wants to finish her studies first. Imama is really delaying her marriage to Asjad because she loves Jalal Ansar. She proposes to him and he says yes. But he knows his parents won’t agree, nor will Imama’s parents. ...

Hop on hop off bus tourism comes to Tbilisi, Georgia

City Sightseeing buses have arrived in Tbilisi. The iconic red double-decker buses, a feature of many cities around the world since the company was established in Seville, Spain in 1999, is now in six continents and almost 100 cities. The company established its Tbilisi business in November 2013, with its operations commencing in February 2014. The 90-minute tour stops at 11 major locations in Tbilisi (with 2 to 5 minute waiting times at each location): the Old City (where it commences), Freedom Square, Rose Revolution Square, Marjanishvili Square, the Dry Bridge, Konka, Avlabari, Metekhi, Akhundov Museum, the Sulfur Baths, and European Square. Passengers can hop off at any stop and see the sights, hopping back onto the next bus at any time. Alternatively, passengers can remain on the bus for the whole tour and take photographs when the bus stops at each location. There are one day (24-hour) passes (for 35 lari – about $20) and 48-hour passes for 55 lari, with family d...

FEAST OR FAMINE

Search This Blog