Michael Modrekili

Michael Modrekili (მიქაელ მოდრეკილი; lit. 'the bent', also 'the hermit' or 'simple monk'; d. 970) was a Georgian calligrapher, writer and scholar of the 10th century. He was also an anthologist, an expert in the liturgy, musicologist and a poet.

Life
Modrekili was born in Georgian aristocratic family. He mentions his uncle David while growing up. Michael in his works names the Georgian Bagrationi monarchs David III of Tao, Bagrat II of Iberia and Gurgen of Iberia.

Hymns and calligraphy
His shifts in pitch and note-length marked by neumes shows the musical and textual notations that were of equal importance. Many of his hymns were linked to the period from advent to the days allotted to John Damascene and to the Desert Fathers. Michael Modrekili's Easter hymn composed in 978~88, also commemorates emperor Theodosius the Great.

His calligraphy was rich of decor and ornaments. His works had the miniature images of Stephen of Tbeti and Basil of Caesarea. He is considered as one of the most brilliant masters of the Georgian calligraphy. His calligraphy and text was written in classical Nuskhuri script without ligatures, mostly in quarto, in black and red ink where in the text above and beneath the lines were written in red ink and the old musical notes. He designed his works with colored initials and ornamental headpieces. His most important work named Iadgari, was written in black and vermilion ink, with a black dot on top and a red dot on the bottom; the red dot is usually slightly larger than the black one. Some types of Iadgari are still unidentified and undiscussed in scientific circles as it demonstrates the multiplicity of the mysterious Georgian neumatic script. Modrekili in his will regularly mentions that he liked to collect only the Georgian and Greek hymns. Modrekili has also included hymns of Ioane Minchkhi.