GUDIASHVILI Lado (Vladimir Davidovich)

March 18, 1896 (Tiflis) — July 20, 1980 (Tbilisi)

Painter, graphic artist, scene-designer, monumental artist

Lado Gudiashvili was born to a family of railway employee. In 1910–1914 he studied in the School of painting and sculpture under the Caucasian Society for Encouragement of Fine Arts in Tiflis. Since 1914 he taught in the 2nd men’s gymnasium in Tiflis. In 1915 Gudiashvili participated in the exhibition of the Caucasian Society for Encouragement of Fine Arts in Tiflis. In the same year the first personal exhibition of Gudiashvili was held in Tiflis.

Till 1919 Gudiashvili played a leading role in the artistic and literary circles of Tiflis. He communicated with members of the neosymbolism group The Blue Horns. In 1919 he painted the Khimerioni café together with the artists S. Y. Sudeikin, K. M. Zdanevich and D. N. Kakabadze. In the same year he left Tiflis and traveled to Italy and France. From 1920 till 1925 Gudiashvili lived in Paris, where he attended the Ranson Academy. He was influenced by art of L. S. Bakst and he took a great interest in Art Deco style. He met a lot of artists, representatives of Paris art life, such as A. Modigliani, M. F. Larionov, N. S. Goncharova and others.

In 1924–1925 Gudiashvili worked for the N. F. Baliev cabaret theatre Die Fledermaus (“The Bat”) in Paris. He created many costume and scene designs for different performances, in particular revue Near of Tiflis (1924).

At the end of 1925, the artist returned to Tiflis. In 1926 his personal exhibition was held in the Drama studio of the Theatre named after Sh. Rustaveli.

Gudiashvili created costume and scene designs for the performances Mzeta-mze and Lamara by K. Marjanishvili in the Theatre named after Sh. Rustaveli. Since 1926 he taught in the Georgian Academy of Fine Arts.

In 1930s–1950s Gudiashvili worked as a painter in Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre. He depicted old Georgia in his portraits and paintings. He combined the medieval Georgian art and the West European art movements of 1920s in his works.

During the World War II in 1942–1943, Gudiashvili created a series of anti-fascist ink drawings. He also worked as a book graphic artist, drew illustrations to Wisdom of Fancy by S. S. Orbeliani (two versions of 1939 and 1960) and Georgian folk songs by G. Chkhikvadze.