Art Palace Tbilisi to Showcase Mihaly Zichy Paintings

An exhibition of the works of the famous Hungarian painter and illustrator of Shota Rustaveli’s 'Knight in the Panther Skin’ will be showcased at Art Palace Tbilisi; with six of the artist’s originals, and 27 high resolution copies of Mihaly Zichy’s works to be displayed; brought for the first time to Tbilisi from the National Gallery of Hungary in Budapest especially for the exhibition which opens today, and is dedicated to the celebration of the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Georgia and Hungary.

The first illustrated publication of Rustaveli’s Knight in the Panther’s Skin is connected to Mihaly Zichy, as he arrived to Georgia in 1881 and instead of the initially planned 7, made 34 illustrations to Shota Rustaveli’s poem, which he then gifted to the Georgian people. 

Mihaly Zichy was born in 1827 in Hungary, after graduating from university; he studied at the Academy of Arts in Vienna. From 1847, Zichy was invited to Russia and became an artist of Russia’s Royal Court, paining portraits of four of Russia’s emperors. 

The exhibition at the Art Palace will last till December 15, but the artist’s originals will be displayed only until December 6. 

Ticket price for adults is GEL 21 GEL for over 16’s. On December 5, ART Palace exposition hall will be open till 8 pm. 

The Mihaly Zichy exhibition is organized with the support of Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia, Embassy of Hungary in Tbilisi and National Gallery of Budapest.

By Nino Gugunishvili