Zurab Kapanadze

Zurab Kapanadze

Zurab Kapanadze ( Georgian ზურაბ კაპანაძე , English transcription: Zurab Kapanadze ; born November 15, 1924 in Tbilisi ; † October 20, 1989 ibid) was a Georgian artist who was awarded the title of Honorary Artist of Georgia in 1967.

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Kapanadze was born on November 15, 1924 in Tbilisi, his parents were Raschden and Sofie Kapanadse. The artist's father was a typesetter , his mother a housewife. While working in the printing shop, the father fell ill with a lung disease and died early. Sura was six years old then. Sofie, widowed at 30, raised three children. The older sisters Russudan and Ketewan took care of the younger surah.

In 1953 Zurab Kapanadze graduated from the State Academy of Arts in Tbilisi , where he was taught by Joseph Scharlemann, Sergei Kobuladze, W. Schorpolow, Soso and Duda Gabashvili. From 1953 he took part in exhibitions both in Georgia and in other Soviet republics and abroad. He was a professor at the chair for applied graphics at the State Academy of Arts in Tbilisi, head artist in the editorial and publishing department of the Theaterkünstlerbund, head art editor at the Helowneba publishing house ("Art"), and for several years he worked as an illustrator for the children's magazine for Dila.

Zurab Kapanadze left up to 200 graphically decorated book editions, decorative large forms, posters, brochures and calendars.

In 1952, Zurab married Kapanadze Tamar Papkowa. He had two children and two grandchildren. He died on October 20, 1989 and is buried in Tbilisi in the Pantheon of the Saburtalo district.

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Zurab Kapanadze was mostly active in the field of book decoration . His main work includes illustrations for the following editions: Irakli Abaschidze : “Was erlebte Tiflis” (1963), Schota Rustaweli : “ The warrior in a tiger skin ” in English, translated by Venera Uruschadze, with a foreword by D. Lang, in Memoriam Marjory Wardrop (1966), miniature edition "Des Recken im Tigerfell" (1967), "Old Georgian Manuscripts" (1970). The following editions decorated by him and prepared as a layout are kept in the “Golden Collection of Georgian Books”: “The Triptych of Chachuli” (1972), Denerik Demirtschiani's “Wardananch” - a historical novel in two volumes (1962), miniature edition by Ishikawa Takubokus “Hundred Tankas” (1970), which had great success at the international book fairs in Bratislava and Brussels.

Zurab Kapanadze had different approaches to the literary works from different epochs during their decoration. He presumably prepared himself extensively in order to use selected art methods "Antigone" by Jean Anouilh or "Red and Black" by Stendhal, "The Plague of Heroes" or "Chronicle" by Levan Gotua, "Painting of Ubisi" or Georgian folk tales Band of Japanese poetry, "The warrior in a tiger skin" and other decorations.

Zurab Kapanadse's illustrations for “Shushanik's Sorrows” remained unpublished. The art scholar Anna Kldiaschwili assessed this work of the artist as follows: "A flawless academic drawing, somewhat stylized, compositions are built according to classical principles, the excellent figures of the book people could certainly have adorned every edition." Nevertheless, the artist himself was of the opinion, he was unable to cope with his task, which is why the illustrations were not included in the anniversary edition of “Shushanik's Sorrows”.

Surab Kapanadze's contribution to the decoration of large-format calendars and the pictorial Georgian alphabet in large letters, which are used for the propaganda of Georgian culture, is remarkable. One of the first Georgian church calendars was decorated by him. The fantasy portrait of King Parnawas he created gained great popularity and became the chrestomathic pattern .

Zurab Kapanadze was a master of easel graphics . Particularly noteworthy among his easels is “Berikaoba”, in which local folklore elements have been translated into the conventional language of graphics. Zurab Kapanadse's easel graphic shows the attitude of a large format artist. His painting is distinguished by its convexity and inner fullness. One thing with him is always spatial. This characteristic is expressed in one of his wonderful posters, which the artist dedicated to the Tbilisi premiere of Richard Wagner's opera “The Flying Dutchman”, performed by Hermann Wedekind.

Zurab Kapanadze worked productively in the field of large-scale art. Together with a group of artists and architects (to which Giorgi Tschachawa belonged) he contributed to the introduction of a new art form: the so-called "functional architectural sculpture". The group developed a new technology for the production of liquid glass, for which it was also patented. The “Fantasy” cafe in Batumi became the group's symbolic monument . The building is built in the shape of an octopus.

Zurab Kapanadze belonged to the generation of the 1950s who introduced purely artistic and formal innovations. The artist never compromised and did not create a portrait of a communist leader, although when working on posters he often had to fulfill the wishes of the ordering party.

Prices

• I Fyodorov diploma (“Georgian Manuscripts”, 1970) on the all-Soviet bankruptcy, dedicated to the 100th birthday of VI Lenin.
• Gold medal at the Soviet exhibition of economic achievements (miniature edition "Des Recken im Tigerfell", 1967).
• Bronze medal at the Soviet Economic Achievement Exhibition (Music Textbooks for 1st and 2nd Classes, 1964).
• Second degree diploma at the all-Soviet bankruptcy for best book editions 1960–1967 ("The Recke in the Tiger Skin", translated into English by Venera Uruschadze, 1966).
• Second degree diploma in bankruptcy “400 Years of the Russian Book” (Irakli Abashidses “What experienced Tbilisi”, 1963).

literature

• Georgian Soviet Encyclopedia, Vol. 5, pp. 375-376, Tbilisi, 1980.
• Kldiaschwili, A. Drama of unfulfilled creativity, "Literaturuli Sakartwelo", N10, March 8-15, 1996, 15
• Huhaschwili, G. Zurab Kapanadze, “Teatraluri Moambe”, November – December 1989, 102-103
• Kwliwidse, M. My friend, Zurab Kapanadze, "Sabchota Helowneba", N3, 1990, 76-79
• Leschawa, S. An artist who has done his duty, "Sabchota Helowneba", N3, 1990, 80-82
• Gurabanidze, N. Zurab Kapanadze, "Kartuli Teatris Dge", January 14, 1990, 13
• Malasonia N. A Tbilisi Capulet, "Kawksioni", 201, November 15, 1995, 3

gallery

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  "The warrior in a tiger skin" 1966

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  "The warrior in the tiger skin" illustration 1966

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  “The warrior in the tiger skin” Cover of the miniature edition

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  Queen Tamar, Irakli Abashidses "What experienced Tbilisi"

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  Irakli Abashidses "What experienced Tbilisi"

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  Lewan Gotua's "Chronicle"

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  King Parnawas

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  Poster of Richard Wagner's "Lohengrin"

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  Cafe "Fantasy" in Batumi

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  Zurab Kapanadze - Queen Tamar

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  "Georgian Manuscripts" envelope

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  Graphic jewelry for an edition "The Warrior in a Tiger Skin"

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  Georgian-Russian Friendship Monument, 1983

Web links

Commons : Zurab Kapanadze  - collection of images, videos and audio files