Categories: ArtCulture

Armenian art

Armenian art is the unique form of art developed over the last five millennia in which the Armenian people lived on the Armenian Highland. Armenian architecture and miniature painting have dominated Armenian art and have shown consistent development over the centuries. Other forms of Armenian art include sculpture, fresco, mosaic, ceramic, metalwork, engraving, and textiles, especially Armenian carpets.

Prehistoric Armenia was home to the Urartu culture in the Iron Age, notable for its early metal sculptures, often of animals. The region was, as later, often contested by the large empires holding the nearby regions of Persia, Mesopotamia and Anatolia, and these all had considerable influence of Armenian art. The Armenians adopted Christianity very early, and developed their own version of Eastern Christian art, with much use of icons, Armenian miniatures in books, and the very original architecture of their churches and monasteries. A distinctive Armenian feature, which may have influenced the Medieval art of Europe, was the popularity from early on of figurative relief carvings on the outside of churches, unknown in Byzantium.

Armenians specialized in arts and crafts such as carpet-weaving.

Study of Armenian art history
The study of Armenian art began in the early 20th century. Notable scholars of Armenian art were Catholicos Garegin Hovsepian and professor Sirarpie Der Nerséssian. More recently, Jean-Michel Thierry and Professor Dickran Kouymjian are prominent scholars of Armenian art.

Ancient Orient
Historical classification

Around 860 BC BC established the Urartäer on Lake Van a kingdom with the capital Tushpa. Their language was Urartian, related to the Hurrian. Around 640 BC They went under. Perhaps at this time the Armenians, coming from the Caucasus, seeped in. Their language is a branch of Indo-European.

Art of this epoch
The legacy of the Urartians consists mainly of fortifications in cyclopean style, whose models are likely to be found in the Caucasus. They used the supporting pillar, which had meaning in the stone construction. In the cabaret are luxury goods of metal processing with a high penetration rate. The style is Assyrian.

What can still be seen
Important fortifications and sites can be found in

Tushpa
Altıntepe at Erzincan
Aramus
Cavustepe
Yerevan (Erebuni)
Ayanıs

Ancient

Historical classification
At the time of the Alexander campaign, Armenia was the sataim of the Achaemenids, and since then the region has given its present name. After completion of the Diadochenkämpfe it belonged to the sphere of influence of the Seleucids. Its political and cultural center was in Syria. Armenia was peripheral and a dependent kingdom. King Artaxias I (190-159 BC) was able to achieve some consolidation in Armenia. Artaxata was founded and expanded. The Romans continued this policy from the west, but Armenia was pinned by the Parthians from the east, Rome never got the clear upper hand in the Parthian wars. The Parther could with Trdat I. vassals dynasty Arsakiden establish and ertrotzten the approval of Rome under Nero 61 n. Chr. Trajan was Armenia Roman province (114).

Art of this epoch
During the time of Hellenism, autochthonous art is hardly to be expected in Armenia and was hardly found. But the effects of Hellenization were also limited. As typical Hellenistic reestablishment 166 v. Chr. Artaxias I should mention Artaxata. It contained theaters and public baths in the Hellenistic model.

From the first century AD is the only temple preserved in the Garni. It is built in Ionian order and dedicated to Mithras.

The coinage developed in Persian Asia Minor blossomed in Hellenism. The great Armenian Artaxids, mainly under Tigranes II., Had coins with Greek inscriptions and the portrait of the ruler beat. After that, this tradition fell asleep. Only in small Armenian times, in the 11th year, coins were again minted, now with Armenian lettering and the averse with Christian motifs.

What can still be seen
Garni (City)
Artashat
Dvin
Horom

Early Christian period
Historical classification
Early Christian art emerges in the transition from late antiquity to the Middle Ages. She uses ancient forms for Christian motifs. An independent Christian art can only develop if faith can be practiced safely and the financial means are available, especially in sacred architecture. Milestones on the way there are the Tolerance of Milan under Constantine I in the year 313 and the accession of Justinian I in the year 527th With Justinian’s reign is generally the beginning of Byzantine artstated. The dates are mentioned because the Armenians claim with some pride that Trdat III. founded the Armenian Apostolic Church in 301 as a state church.

The lazy truce between Rome and the Parthians did not give Armenia much rest. The Sassanids displaced the Persian Arsacids, the feud between Rome and the Persians revived and finally ended in 387 with the partition of Armenia. The greater part (Persarmenia) with the capital Dvin went to the Sassanids. The clashes continued, however. The gradual exhaustion of the Sassanids helped the Armenians little, but opened the door for the Arabs.

Art of this epoch
The findings of early Christian buildings are rather modest. None is completely received. Based on the remains, it can be cautiously formulated that the Byzantine development from the basilica on mixing with the central building to the cross-domed church was similar. Again in all restraint: The Byzanz not represented building technique of the connection of bivalve basalt walls with cast stone was known to the Armenians already in urartäischer time.

The early Christian buildings of Armenia are squat rectangular buildings with a girded barrel vault. The technique of vault construction, which was already known in antiquity, was forgotten in the West, but has an unbroken tradition here. Datable remains can be found in the monastery church in Howhannawank and the Church of St. Yiztbuzit in Dvin, (548-557). The best preserved building of this type is in Lernakert.

The simple nave was followed by the three-nave basilica. The basilica of Jereruk at Anipemza is here the key building. An Armenian peculiarity is to crown the three barrel vaults with a pitched roof, so that the church looks single-nave from the outside. An inscription of King Trdat narrows the dating to the turn of the 4th to the 5th century.

What can still be seen
Ptghni
Dvin – Church of Sts. Yiztbuzit
Howhannawank – St. John’s Church
Lernakert

Middle Ages
The medieval art of Armenia had strong effects on the art of many other countries. An important prerequisite for clarifying these multiple influences is the question of the roots of Armenian art. It came into being at a time when, after the collapse of the Roman Empire, its own formal idiom developed in many countries. However, the artistic relations between these countries are still largely unclear, as is their relationship to Byzantium, Common to this protoromanic provincial cultural creation is a deliberate reduction of ancient art, a dismantling of form, a deliberate and deliberate simplification. Compared to the highly civilized antique culture in Christian disguise, which was cultivated in Rome, Constantinople and Ravenna and represented a very refined final phase, this so-called “barbarised imperial art of Randvöler” means a comprehensive new beginning, a fruitful progress and a creative style formation. The conditions for the development of the entire medieval art of Armenia are created at this time. A particularly important role is played by the Transcaucasian countries. On the eastern periphery of the early Christian world developed on the basis of ancient forms, with the strong inclusion of their own elements of national folk art as well as many borrowings from the neighboring Asian and Oriental cultures an independent, outstanding art in which pagan, Christian and oriental ideas merge into a new own worldview. The influences of Armenian art extend to all early Christian countries, then everywhere they kept entertainingArmenians lively relationships.

Historical classification
The Arab storm reached Armenia in 640 with the conquest and destruction of Dvin. Another opportunity for the Armenians to choose between Skylla and Charybdis. The Arabs offered freedom of belief and the preservation of the rights of the nobility against recognition of Islamic supremacy. Byzantium provided weapon assistance against change of denomination. As a result, Armenia belonged to the sphere of influence of the later Umayyads with a cultural focus on Damascus and the relieving Abbasids centered in Baghdad.

In 885/886 Aschot I again established an Armenian kingdom. In 961 Ani became capital. The most prominent representative of the Bagratides dynasty (885-1045) was Gagik I (989-1020). During this short flowering, the Islamic world changed considerably.

The Abbasids came to the south under pressure by the Fatimids in the Persis developed a magnificent Islamic culture and the Seljuks, poor but warlike, showed interest. At the end of their efforts they won Mesopotamia and formed the empire of the Seljuk Turks, whose most famous ruler was Alp Arslan.

Another branch of the family invaded Anatolia. After the Battle of Mantzikert in 1071 Byzantine could not prevent the further invasion and the establishment of the Sultanate Rum 1077 with the venerable Christian city of Nicaea as the capital.

The heartland of the Armenian princes was conquered and exiled nobles founded in Cilicia the kingdom of Little Armenia with the capital Sis. Through a perfect swing policy with Byzantium, Rum and later the Crusaders they were able to maintain their independence until 1375.

Art of this epoch
Architecture
The typical architecture of Armenia made it possible to wall up to the dome, layer upon layer, without the use of a scaffold. This technique leads to a squat appearance, which is easily mitigated by a certain pursuit of height. The outline of the facade is restrained. The ground plan consists in the Greek cross with short legs or in the central building with four apsiden extensions (Tetrakonchos). Elsewhere, the Trikonchos has prevailed. The building was crowned with often octagonal tambourwith dome. This was not shown outside, but provided with an octagonal, pyramidal roof. The altar stood close to the apse of the east wall, the entrance to the west wall. Chorschranke, or Lettner the Latin church, iconostasis of the Orthodox cult were not developed in front of the altar wall, as well as the narthex at the western end.

The total construction of the monastery buildings from the 9th century follows no fixed scheme. However, a fortification wall and a free-standing main church with a vestibule (shamatun) are in common, partly surrounded by other chapels. The functional buildings are unpretentious.

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Classic Period
The development of the distinctive Armenian architecture had its first peak

the Cathedral of Echmiadzin (495/496 in the older parts). Excavations revealed traces from the fourth century. Under the altar a sacrificial bowl of the Sassanids from the fifth century was found. Today’s Tetrakonchos is due to Waham Mahikonian in the construction phase of 495/496. Probably also a stone dome belonged to it. The present dome dates from the 16th century, the bell tower was added in the 18th century.
Lmbatavank, a small cross-domed church around 600 with the most important early Christian painting remains in Armenia
St. Hripsime in Echmiadzin was built in 618 by Catholicos Komitas over an older building from the fourth century. built. The Tetrakonchos is fully developed. A mitigation of the massive appearance of the walls was attempted with functionless niches.
St. Gayane in Echmiadzin (630)
Swartnoz – Palace Church (641-661)
Talin – Great Church (end of the 7th century)

Bagratides (885-1045)
The preliminary completion of the development of independent architecture was in the time of Bagratiden with the center Ani. One of the main works outside of Ani is the Church of the Holy Cross in Akdamar on an island in Lake Van. In it all elements of Armenian fine art are preserved, albeit in a miserable state.

The development of Ani is significantly influenced by the court architect Trdat. The Palace of Catholicos and the Cathedral of Ani were executed by him. “International” he became famous with the order to rehabilitate the heavily damaged in the earthquake of 989 Hagia Sophia in Byzantium.

Kingdom of Little Armenia (1080 to 1375)
The buildings of the capital Sis (Turkish Kozan) are destroyed. The treasury of the Cathedral of Saint Sophia was moved to Aleppo in 1915 by the displaced monks of that city and is now exhibited in the Cilicia Museum in Antelias (Lebanon).

Sculpture and paintings
The plastic served the outline of the facade. In the first line donator figures are mentioned. One of the most important objects, the depiction of Gagik I, can be found on the west facade of the Church of the Holy Cross in Akdamar (915-921). The figure above the portal, embedded in a frieze that moves the entire building, was originally painted and is surrounded by rich ornamentation. The frontal stiff posture with emphasis on the garb reminds iconographically of Byzantium, the fine stone ornamentation of Islamic architecture.

An Armenian special form of stonemasonry is the Khachkar. These are stelae, which develop around the main motive of the cross a rich, increasingly finer ornamentation. Islamic influence is clearly visible.

There was no free-standing figurative sculpture.

Even the early churches were decorated with frescoes. Because of their unfavorable background, however, they are preserved only as traces of paint. Among the early evidences that can be visited are the Cherubim of Lmbat in the 7th-century St. Stepanos Church. Also rich are the frescoes by Akdamar (921), which, like those of Lmbat, are said to have Syrian influence.

Anyone who has monasteries also has manuscripts. One of the largest collections in the world is located at the Mashtots Matenadaran Institute in Yerevan. Since 1997 it belongs to the world documentary heritage of UNESCO. One of the most important objects is the Echmiadzin Gospels of 989. The manuscript on parchment was made in the monastery of Noravank, attachments go to the 6./7. Century back. They represent the oldest surviving works of Armenian illumination.

The development of the Armenian miniature is influenced Byzantine, but also Syrian. In general, the court can distinguish sophisticated and naively lively works. Basically, they are more colorful and moving than the Byzantine products. Miniature painting reached its climax with T’oros Roslin (13th century) in Little Armenia.

What can still be seen
Ani
Church of the Holy Cross (921)
Arutsch – Cathedral (7th century)
Echmiadzin
Gandzasar – Monastery (1216-1238)
Geghard Monastery – (13th century)
Haghpat Monastery (961)
Hromkla – Small Armenia
Lmbatavank – St. Stepanos (7th century)
Noravank Monastery
Saghmosavank Monastery (1215)
Sanahin – monastery
Talin Cathedral (7th century)
Tekor – St. Sarkiss (4th-7th century)

Modern Times
One of the blessings of modern times is that peoples have learned not to like each other. War does not end with the atrocities of the soldateska and subsequent kowtowing of the dynasty. Rather, internal resistance, as a result of expulsion and genocide, can ensure that in some regions people without formal warfare live permanently in unrest. For Transcaucasia, this means, first of all, that with the decline of the Ottoman Empire Russia comes into play as a new hegemonic power. For the Armenians, this means in the end that there is now a third dependent Armenia (Russian Armenia). After all, arises with the Soviet Republica structure that allows the Armenians to declare independence in 1991 on a defined territory. It is astonishing that Armenia left its role of notorious victim in the dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh and was quite willing to use the means that it had to endure so far. Not content with this, Armenia is also in conflict with the Kurds, who regard Kurdistan as a core area of Armenia.

Diaspora
Many people know an Armenian. He is not a problem case from the ghetto (although there is an Armenian district in Istanbul), but he is educated and belongs to the middle class (apart from Gulbenkian). The reason for this is that the interned and displaced Armenians have established a worldwide network that makes them one of the most efficient trading peoples. The parallel to the Jews is unmistakable, except that they have one or the other pogrom because of their Christian faithcould omit. But if followed in the host country, the network was able to mitigate the worst consequences. Culturally, faith unites inside, because the Armenians are reluctant to assimilate with the Latin or Orthodox Church of their host country. The care of the very old rite and its art has no external effect. To call Armenian artists a reference to ancient roots would seem like something. The sic. The son of a merchant Aiwasowski we can classify as a romantic, Arshile Gorky was one of the abstraction-Création in Paris.

Current situation
Famous Contemporaries
Chatschatur Abowjan – writer
Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky – painter
Antonia Arslan – writer
Arno Babadjanian – composer
Ara Baliozian – writer
Balyan – Architectural dynasty
Peter Balakian – writer
Cathy Berberian – composer and singer
Jean Carzou – painter
Aram Chatschaturjan – composer
Atom Egoyan – Director
Calouste Gulbenkian – patron
Arshile Gorky – painter
Alan Hovhaness – composer
Hakob Kojoyan – painter
Martiros Sarjan – painter
William Saroyan – writer
Awet Terterjan – composer
Komitas Vardapet – Composer

Architecture
The first Armenian churches were built during the lifetime of St. Gregory the Illuminator, were often built on the sites of destroyed pagan temples, and imitated some aspects of Armenian pre-Christian architecture.

Classical and Medieval Armenian architecture is divided into four separate periods.

The first period, from the 4th to the 7th centuries, began with Armenia’s conversion to Christianity, and ended after the Arab invasions of Armenia. The early churches were mostly simple basilicas, some with side apses. By the 5th century the typical cupola cone in the center had become widely used. By the 7th century, centrally-planned churches had been built and the more complicated niched buttress and radiating Hrip’simé style had formed. By the time of the Arab invasions, most of what we now know as classical Armenian architecture had formed.

The second period lasted from the 9th to the 11th centuries. Armenian architecture underwent a revival under the patronage of the Bagratid dynasty with many buildings erected in the regions of Ani and Lake Van: these included both traditional styles and new innovations. Ornately carved Armenian khachkars were developed during this time. Many new cities and churches were built during this time, including a new capital at Lake Van and a Cathedral on Akdamar Island to match. The Cathedral of Ani was also completed during this dynasty. It was during this time that the first major monasteries, such as Haghpat and Haritchavank were founded. This period was ended by the Seljuk invasion.

Miniatures
Illuminated manuscripts were produced in Armenia mainly between the 5th and the 17th centuries. The highest point of this art is associated with the 13th century and the name of Toros Roslin, considered to be the most prominent medieval Armenian manuscript illuminator. The majority of the manuscripts were lost, and scolarly approach to studies of Armenian illuminated manuscripts was only developed in the second half of the 20th century.

Sculptures
Each culture possesses a certain original element which becomes a symbol of the entire national culture. In Armenia such symbol is “khachkar, the so-called cross-stones, the monuments of Armenia which are not found anywhere in the world. The word “khachkar” is formed by two Armenian roots: “khach” (cross) and “kar” (stone). Armenia has been called “a country of rocks” and has a rich heritage when it comes to sculptures. Some of the sculptures in the country date way back even before the formation of Armenia as a nation. Such sculptures were created by empires that existed in the region before the modern period. A good example of these is the “Khachkar” which were ancient religious sculptures. Besides these ancient sculptures, Armenia also has plenty of post-war sculptures which show the influence of modern times and also foreign traditions that have been adopted.

Frescoes, Mosaics, and Ceramics
Ceramics, mosaics, and frescoes constitute a different category of Armenian artwork. The creation of the outlined artifacts dates back to the days of the Urartian Empire that existed long before the establishment of Armenia as a nation. Therefore some of the ancient art is shared among several countries in the region that were part of the Urartian Empire. While the evidence of these forms of art was realized through excavations in the country, their remains have been reconstructed thus providing physical evidence of what they looked like.

Metalwork and Engravings
Armenia has a history of making engravings and metalwork which are also considered as part of the art. Artifacts in this category can be subdivided into coins, silver and gold, and bronze and tinned copper. The coins refer to the pieces of metals that were designed during the ancient times for trading purposes between Armenia and its neighbors such as Greece. On the other hand, gold and silver were luxury items during ancient Armenia which were fashioned in various ways such as drinking vessels, medallions, and statues just to mention a few. Besides, tinned copper and bronze were also used. Excavations in the country have revealed that these were used to make household items, weapons, and even statues.

Textiles
Textiles are another part of Armenian art and also a significant part of their economy both in the ancient and present times. One of the most extensive collections of Armenian textiles can be found in the Armenian Museum of America. In the current world, textile products from Armenia are a major trade commodity between Armenia, Europe, and America.

Armenian carpets
The term Armenian carpet designates, but is not limited to, tufted rugs or knotted carpets woven in Armenia or by Armenians from pre-Christian times to the present. It also includes a number of flat woven textiles. The term covers a large variety of types and sub-varieties. Due to their intrinsic fragility, almost nothing survives—neither carpets nor fragments—from antiquity until the late medieval period.

Traditionally, since ancient times the carpets were used in Armenia to cover floors, decorate interior walls, sofas, chairs, beds and tables. Up to present the carpets often serve as entrance veils, decoration for church altars and vestry. Starting to develop in Armenia as a part of everyday life, carpet weaving was a must in every Armenian family, with the carpet making and rug making being almost women’s occupation. Armenian carpets are unique “texts” composed of the ornaments where sacred symbols reflect the beliefs and religious notions of the ancient ancestors of the Armenians that reached us from the depth of centuries. The Armenian carpet and rug weavers preserved strictly the traditions. The imitation and presentation of one and the same ornament-ideogram in the unlimited number of the variations of styles and colors contain the basis for the creation of any new Armenian carpet. In this relation, the characteristic trait of Armenian carpets is the triumph of the variability of ornaments that is increased by the wide gamut of natural colors and tints.

Music and dance
Dance and Music are also an essential aspect of the Armenian Heritage. Initially, Armenian music consisted of Armenian Church music and folk songs that were based on an indigenous tonal system (Tetrachords) as opposed to the European tonal system. However, in the present time, other genres of music have influenced Armenian music thus resulting in the production of modern styles in the country such as Hip Hop, Pop, Rock, among many others. Accompanying original Armenian songs was Armenian dance. Native Armenian dance is one of the oldest practices of the inhabitants of the region. Armenian dance is even depicted in some of the ancient paintings on rocks.

Contemporary Art
In 2015, Armenia won the Leone d’Oro for Best Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Besides the above-discussed art categories, Armenia also has well developed contemporary art which is overseen by the Biennale Foundation. The Foundation is responsible for organizing exhibitions in the country which are termed as Art Biennale. The name is used so as to distinguish its exhibitions from other shows conducted by different organizations. The institution has been doing its activities that date back from 1948 to date.

Source from Wikipedia

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