Skip to main content

The unique archive of Brothers Zubalashvili: 1-15 November 2018



The Unique Archive of Brothers Zubalashvili is an exhibition at the Georgian National Museum from 1-15 November 2018. 

The Brothers Zubalashvili is a family of 17thcentury Georgian businessmen. Grandfather Ivane Zubalashvili (1792-1864) and Constantine (1828-1901) began the business with a sugar refinery, a vodka plant, and printing presses. Constantine had three sons: Stephan, Peter, and Jabob – who are the The Brothers Zubalashvili.

The exhibition shows the Georgian industrialists and philanthropists from Dimitri Ermakovs' photo albums. The brothers used their fortune for public charity – they constructed hotels, a music school, shelters, a public library, and several churches – and financed the Society for Spreading Literacy among Georgians. 

As well the photo materials showing the construction of Tbilisi Public House and the historic building of State University, it also showcases Georgian history, Caucasian civilization, and archaeology. 

From the unique archive are the works of the Zubalashvili brothers. The materials combine correspondence between Brothers Zubalashvili and the Society for Spreading Literacy among Georgians about financing the newspaper "Iveria" and the "Jejili" journal. It also lists the scholars who were admitted into education institutions in Russia and Europe, such as Aleksandre Janelidze, Sargis Kakabadze, Shalva Amirejibi, Geronti Kikodze, Leo Kiacheli, Pavle Ingorokva and others.

The unique archive of the patron and collector Jacob Zubalashvili includes some of his personal belongings as well. Additionally there is a special section on the works of art he gifted to French museums. It also includes an electronic catalogue specially created for the exhibition.

The descendants of Peter (Petre) Zubalashvili, living in Switzerland and later in France, have protected historical documentation and other belongings in their houses for over 114 years. In June 2018, they donated that priceless archive to the Georgian National Museum, which is now opening up the archives to the public.

The delivery of the archive is credited to Peter Zubalashvili's grandchild, Virginie Anlar, who several years ago, after meeting the future author of the project - Eka Enukidze - expressed her desire to donate the archive of the Zubalashvili-Anlar branch of her family to her homeland Georgia.

After several months of work by the Georgian National Museum, each object was transferred to its respective fund, given a file number, and was also digitalized. In the future, the scientific study and restorative works of the collection is planned.

The Zubalashvili family has connections with the Marjanishvili Theatre, the first building of the University and Tbilisi Musical School (today it is the building of the Tbilisi State Conservatoire), Tbilisi's first Pediatric Hospital, and a restaurant "Samadlo" on the road to Kojori. At the outbreak of the First World War, Peter Zubalashvili donated their family owned Hotel "London" to the Tbilisi government.

The transfer of the Zubalashvili archive from France was accomplished with the support of TBC bank in collaboration with The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia and Georgian Airlines.



























MARTINA NICOLLSis an international aid and development consultant, and the authorof:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom(2017), 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).

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

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. That

Flaws in the Glass, a self-portrait by Patrick White: book review

The manuscript, Flaws in the Glass (1981), is Patrick Victor Martindale White’s autobiography. White, born in 1912 in England, migrated to Sydney, Australia, when he was six months old. For three years, at the age of 20, he studied French and German literature at King’s College at the University of Cambridge in England. Throughout his life, he published 12 novels. In 1957 he won the inaugural Miles Franklin Literary Award for Voss, published in 1956. In 1961, Riders in the Chariot became a best-seller, winning the Miles Franklin Literary Award. In 1973, he was the first Australian author to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for The Eye of the Storm, despite many critics describing his works as ‘un-Australian’ and himself as ‘Australia’s most unreadable novelist.’ In 1979, The Twyborn Affair was short-listed for the Booker Prize, but he withdrew it from the competition to give younger writers the opportunity to win the award. His autobiography, Flaws in the Glass

The Beggars' Strike by Aminata Sow Fall: book review

The Beggar’sStrike (1979 in French and 1981 in English) is set in an unstated country in West Africa in a city known only as The Capital. Undoubtedly, Senegalese author Sow Fall writes of her own experiences. It was also encapsulated in the 2000 film, Battu , directed by Cheick Oumar Sissoko from Mali. Mour Ndiaye is the Director of the Department of Public Health and Hygiene, with the opportunity of a distinguished and coveted promotion to Vice-President of the Republic. Tourism has declined and the government blames the local beggars in The Capital. Ndiaye must rid the streets of beggars, according to a decree from the Minister. Ndiaye instructs his department to carry out weekly raids. One of the raids leads to the death of lame beggar, Madiabel, who ran into an oncoming vehicle as he tried to escape, leaving two wives and eight children. Soon after, another raid resulted in the death of the old well-loved, comic beggar Papa Gorgui Diop. Enough is enou