User:Sopho.zakaraia/Calligraphy schools of Tbilisi

Through the centuries, Tbilisi was not only a political-state center, but also a powerful center of cultural and educational activities. Georgian theological literature developed in Tbilisi. Yet in the VIII century Ioane Sabanisdze wrote the historical story "Martyrdom of Abo", which clearly utters about an important period of the spiritual and political life of Georgians. Despite Arabs fortification, the Georgian society and its leader the Bagrationi House strived to strengthen spiritual, religious and national ideals under the leadership of Nerse Erismtavari. Strong national and religious ideology paved the way for the unification of the country and the instillation of identity in the ecclesiastical space. In the XI-XII centuries, the Georgian spiritual culture reached a special height, during the conditions of national freedom and political independence. There were Ioane Shavteli, Chakhrukhadze, Sargis Tmogveli, Shota Rustaveli, who actively contributed in this period. Lately, due to the invaders, the literary activity of Tbilisi was weakened, but from the XVI-XVII centuries it started to revive again. Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani, Vakhtang VI, Catholicon Domenti, Teimuraz II, Anton I and others worked here in the XVIII century. In the XVII century, two calligraphic schools were established in Tbilisi, Anchiskhati and Sioni. The first was headed by the descendants of Grigol Meskhishvili, the second by the descendants of Gabriel Mikadze, who were appointed as deans of Sioni.

Calligraphy school of Anchiskhati
At the end of the XVI century, the Meskhishvilis appeared in the field of activity and since then their work was a multi-faceted and interesting for our country. They were excellent calligraphers, manuscript painters, translators, manuscript editors, poets and at the same time owners of a rich and interesting library. "The Meskhishvili family gave Georgian literature a number of prominent figures who created an wonderful calligraphic school and contributed to the enrichment of our literature." right|thumb|376x376px|The western facade of Anchikhati temple Anchiskhati temple was the main place of work for Meskhishvili's. Originally, the Anchiskhati Cathedral was called the "Cathedral of the Bell" because in Georgia, during the Arab domination, only this Cathedral had the right to ring the bell as the Cathedral of the Georgian Catholicos Patriarch in Tbilisi. This name remained until the end of the XVII century. After the Catholicos Patriarch Domenti, rested the icon of the "Piri Ghvtis"- Ancha Icon, the greatest saint of Christianity, from Anchi to Mtskheta and than rested it in Tbilisi on the "Cathedral of Zari", the cathedral was named as "Anchiskhati". From this time on, the authority of the Anchiskhati temple increased even more. The seminary were placed in the yard of Anchikhati Cathedral, "inside the Episcopal House" by Erekle II. This circumstance turned the monastery into a cultural-educational center, and the people working there became workers in the field of science and literature. In that period, the Meskhishvili family was serving in Anchiskhati, who raised lots of educators and important figures. Representatives of the royal throne and the nobles themselves gathered near the temple of Anchiskhati - they lived around this temple. Residential palaces were built near it. Many necessary cases were resolved here; the appearance of traitors of the land or religion was the glorification of those dedicated to the homeland and the nation. "There was a higher theological school, here were gathered the best writers-scribes and singers, who in their free time helped to raise their children, to copy ecclesiastical books and more. Educated priests, deacons and psalmists from all over Georgia came from here. This is why Anchiskhati temple was created as the first secular worship and shrine of all Georgians until the last time." Increasing his importance was the fact that the door of the royal house and the Catholicos-Patriarch would open for him. Enemy revenues also caused great damage to the Anchiskhati temple. Georgian people still preserved the national culture, developed writing and painting. The head of this work was two surnames in XVIII century in Georgia - the Meskhishvilis and the Maghalashvilis, who were "excellent writers and artists from a very young age ..." They defended the best before us - chanting, handwriting, reading the Gospel and reading the Apostle... That is why the kings of Georgia were very grateful to the Meskhetian family and encouraged them to spread education." The Catholicos-Patriarch and the Kings of Georgia often appointed the best priests and deacons in the Anchiskhati temple. From the end of the XVII century to the beginning of the XIX century, representatives of the Meskhishvili family were appointed as priest-deacons of the Anchiskhati temple:

1. 	Petre Meskhi, dean 1674_1680.

2. 	Joseph the son of Peter, dean 1681_1711.

3. 	Grigol the son of Joseph, dean 1711_1724

4. 	David Joseph, Grigoli brother Kandelaki 1725_1738.

5. 	Alex, son of the artist Grigoli, deacon, 1739_1756.

6. 	George Alexis, dean, 1756_1779.

7. 	Nicholas the son of Alexi, priest of Anchiskhati temple, in the second half of the XVIII century.

8. 	Michael the son of Giorgi, dean, 1779_1788.

9. 	Zakaria the son of Alexi, dean, 1788_1791.

10. 	Solomon the son of Alexi, dean, 1791_1808.

11. 	Dimitri the son of Solomoni, dean, member of the dicaster 1808_1815.

In 1674, when Domenti Catholicos rebuilt an orphaned and outdated Anchiskhati temple and brought down the Anchi icon from Mtskheta, he was accompanied by the priest Petre Meskhi with his wife and children (this is where the Meskhishvili family history begins). P. Karbelashvili provides information about Kondak copied by Petre Meskhi. Catholicos Dominic granted to Peter Meskhi the place of Kandelaki in the temple of Anchiskhati; also he was in a close relationship with Nicholas the Catholicos. Catholicos Dominic died in 1680. We have no information about his son Joseph, except that he was deacon of Anchiskhati in 1681-1711. The son of Joseph, Grigoli was, "artist, the royal court painter, singer and scribe." In 1724 Grigol the son of Joseph accompanied Vakhtang VI in Russia, but we do not know whether he returned from Russia or not. "as an artist deacon Gregory received two loaves of bread from the king's table in a day, two cups of wine and an annual wages from the treasure chest." In 1705-1721 he worked in a printing house founded by Vakhtang. He had a son Alex. The artist Grigoli became a source of inspiration for Meskhishvili's future generations. Unfortunately, we have scarce information about him and this scarcity encumbers us from recording his work. Grigoli is often mentioned in the copied testaments by his son, Alexis 's, who was very educated in that time: "... sinful and absolutely miserable and poor slave of the King of Heaven, the son of artist priest, Archpriest Alex priest." "I worked and described a little prayer book... I, Alexi, the son of the artist Grigoli." Sovereign Jesus Christ, have mercy on my father Grigol the painter and my mother Tamar and on me, their son, Deacon Alex, I wrote." Alex Meskhishvili Always mentions his parents with great honor and reverence. In the manuscripts he copied, he portrays his father, Grigoli, as a "hands-on artist," whereas Grigoli's unknown artistic hand appeared in the transcript S-1096, copied by his son. It seems, that he humbly avoided mentioning his own name and did not make captions to his own works.

Calligraphy school of Sioni
Several prominent representatives of the Mikadze family have been working in Tbilisi since the XVII century. The distant ancestors of the Mikadze's moved from Samegrelo to Kartli. Here they became members of the clergy and the deaconry of Sioni inherited in their family. At the end of the XVII century there was Jesse the deacon, who had several sons, one of whom was Gabriel, the father of Nicholas and Zacharias, better known as Ambrose of Nekres. Nicholas was the dean of Sion, a prominent calligrapher of the XVIII century. The earliest copied manuscript of Nicholas dates back to 1731, when he was eleven years old. According to the inscription, this is his first work. “God, have mercy on this soothsayer deacon Nicholas, who described the Holy Eucharist prayer. Those of you who will see and read it, command me to grow because I was a child while writing this and had not written any other book. I made improvement of this in December of eleven in this year." This note provides an opportunity to find out that the scribe was born in 1720 and it seems, he has mastered the craft of writing since childhood. Kings Teimuraz II, Vakhtang VI, Queen Darejan , wife of Erekle II, Giorgi Batonishvili, later George XII were ordering copy of the scripts to 23-26-year-old adolescent Nicholas. Also, representatives of the highest clerical ranks: Anton I the Catholicos , Metropolitan John of Bodbe and others. The manuscripts commissioned by these historical figures are preserved in various foundations of the National Center of Manuscripts.

Scholium
1.   ↑ Kekelidze K. History of Old Georgian Literature, Tbilisi, 1951, Vol. I, p.334

2.    ↑ p. Karbelashvili P., Old Anchiskhati temple, st. Tbilisi, 1902, p.4

3.    ↑ Menabde L. Centers of Old Georgian Writing, 1962, Vol. I, p.170

4.    ↑ Karbelashvili P. Old Anchiskhati Temple, st. Tbilisi, 1902, p.8

5.    ↑ Ibid, gv.27-28

6.    ↑ Ibid., P.43

7.    ↑ Ibid., P.44

8.    ↑ National Center of Manuscripts, H-2077, 334r

9.   ↑ National Center of Manuscripts, S-3630, 62v

10. ↑ National Center of Manuscripts, S-2715, 401v

11. ↑ Ia Gachechiladze's dissertation, “XVIII-XIX     centuries, the activity of Georgian calligraphers, Meskhishvili calligraphic school and their bookstore “Tbilisi, 1975. P.38

12. ↑ Kachakhidze R. Diploma thesis, manuscripts copied and painted by Archpriest Alexi Meskhishvili XVII-XVIII centuries, Tbilisi Theological Academy, 2010.