Meir Pichahhadze and Niko Pirosmanshvili

These paintings by Meir Pitchhadze are greatly indebted to Georgia's national painter, Niko Pirosmanshvili (1862-1918), whose works he knew and admired from early childhood. Self-taught Pirosmanshvili invented new techniques in painting not only as a result of his talent as a painter, but also due to harsh economic conditions. Now considered one of the most important folk painters worldwide, he emerged from the very heart of popular culture, yet he transacted its boundaries to become a professional painter. Like other prominent artists of his time, he was well aware of the vicissitudes of history and of the end of an era – the nineteenth century. His works renounced any idealist optimism. At times, this spirit is clearly conspicuous, at others it is only hinted, but a veil of melancholy always cloaked his works, even those works that were infused with beauty. In terms of his skepticism, Pirosmanshvili belongs entirely in the twentieth century.

Meir Pichhddaze's special affinity to Pirosmanshvili is expressed in quotes of many of the letter's works, such as Fisherman, a motif which Meir Pichhadze added next to a drawing of a nude from the rear in a painting from 1986; Pirosmanshvili Giraffe was a point of departure from Meir Pichhdaze's 1992 painting.

Most of all Meir  Pichhadze assimilated the light shinning threw the darkness and the rich coloration against a black background Pirosmanshvili brings his images closer to the viewer by means of a nearly symbolic light that articulates the hidden and latent aspects of both man and other living creatures. Dejection infiltrated deep into Meir Pichhadze's childhood realms the naïve but precise drawing of the Georgian master, whose virtuosity is evident in his ability to capture an image without becoming enslaved by it, has also fascinated Meir Pichhadze.