A remarkable Georgian enlightener of the late feudal period, Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani was born in 1658 in the village of Tandzia. His father, Vakhtang Orbeliani, served as the secretary of the King of Kartli, and his mother, Tamar, was the daughter of Zaal, Eristavi of Aragvi, who ruled over the mountainous region of Kartli. Sulkhan spent his childhood in Tandzia, where he was raised with his brothers. Later, he lived mainly in Dmanisi. From childhood, Sulkhan was particularly close to the sons of King Vakhtang V Shahnavaz (r. 1658-1675), especially Giorgi (the future King Giorgi XI of Kartli).

If he was cautious, how could he also be courageous? one might ask. Indeed, the life and work of the remarkable Georgian theater director, teacher, and theorist Mikheil Tumanishvili reflect a striking blend of contrasts and contradictions.

The artistic and cultural life of Tiflis¹— the capital of independent Georgia between 1918 and 1921 — represents a distinctive chapter in the history of modern Georgian art. During this period, Georgian artists actively embraced emerging Western trends, successfully transplanting them into the local cultural context. As a result, a rapid evolution took place—moving from academic art, which arrived in Georgia relatively late, to modernist forms of expression.