BASHINDZAGYAN Gevorg (George) Zakharovich

September 16, 1857 (Sighnaghi, Georgia) — October 4, 1925 (Tiflis)

Painter, graphic artist

Bashinjaghyan was born to family of a translator and guide, who escorted caravans and missions to Persia. In 1872–1874 he studied at a district school in Sighnaghi. At the same time he was engaged in production of advertising signs. In 1876–1878 Bashindzhagyan attended the School of Drawing under the Caucasian community for the Encouragement of Fine Arts. In 1879–1883 he continued his studies at the Imperial Academy of Arts at landscape class under M. K. Klodt. In 1883 he was awarded a silver medal for the painting Birch Grove. At the same time Bashinjaghyan attended the studio of I. K. Aivazovsky in St. Petersburg. He was under the influence of the painter A. I. Kuindzhi.

Since 1885 Bashindzhagyan lived in Tiflis, in 1889–1901 — in Paris. He traveled through Armenia (1883, 1897, 1904), Georgia (1883), Italy and Switzerland (1884), France (1899).

Bashindzhagyan worked as a landscape painter. He participated in exhibitions of the Caucasian Society for Encouragement of Fine Arts in Tiflis (1888–1918, with interruptions), academic exhibitions (1890–1914, with interruptions), exhibitions of the Society for mutual aid of Russian artists (1890–1891), exhibitions of St. Petersburg’s Society of Artists (1895–1896, 1909–1918; since 1909 — member of the Society), and the exhibitions of the Society of South Russian Artists (1910). Personal exhibitions of the artists were held in Tiflis (1883, 1884, 1886, 1887–1890, 1893, 1895–1897, 1902, 1912, 1915–1916, 1918), Baku (1885, 1894, 1895, 1898, 1903, 1908, 1911), Nakhichevan, Novocherkassk, Pyatigorsk (all — 1887), and in Paris (1900).

After 1917 Bashindzhagyan participated in activities of the art section of the House of Armenian Art (Ayartun) in Tiflis. Since 1923 he was a member of the Society of Art Workers of Armenia, since 1925 — honorary member of the Professional Union of Art Workers in Georgia. He exposed his works at the 5th exhibition of the Union of Artists of Armenia (1921), the 1st Spring exhibition of the Association of Art Workers of Armenia (1924) in Yerevan.

Bashindzhagyan studied poetry of Sayat-Nova, collected and published his songs; he also created the design of the Sayat-Nova monument in Tiflis. He was the author of stories, articles, and art essays.

Retrospective exhibitions of the artist were organized in Yerevan (1936, 1945, 1951, 1957–1958, 1982), in Moscow (1950–1951, 1957–1958, 1985), in Georgia (1957–1958, 1983), in Leningrad, and in Riga (1957–1958).

Bashindzhagyan was an outstanding artist, the founder of the landscape painting in the Armenian art. In his works, he followed the traditions of academic art. The best paintings of the artist were notable for the epic sense of nature and specific light effects.

Works by Gevorg Bashindzhagyan are in many museum collections, including the State Tretyakov Gallery, the National Gallery of Armenia in Yerevan and others.