Aleksandre Tsimakuridze is recognized as one of the chief supporters of the landscape genre in 20th century Georgian realistic easel painting. Notwithstanding the significant contributions of figures such as David Kakabadze and Elene Akhvlediani, who established landscape painting both as a genre and as a thematic focus in Georgian art, it can be asserted that Aleksandre Tsimakuridze stands out as the first Georgian artist to devote himself entirely to the craft of landscape painting. Apart from a handful of portraits, Aleksandre Tsimakuridze’s artistic oeuvre is predominantly centered on landscape painting. As a result of his efforts, the genre of realistic landscape painting was firmly established in Georgian easel painting. Furthermore, the extensive years he spent teaching were equally significant, since he played a crucial role in nurturing and shaping the professional development of numerous Georgian landscape artists.

Shalva Kikodze’s emergence on the Georgian art scene was comparable to a meteoric phenomenon. The duration of his creative activity spans just fourteen years. In 1908, at the age of 14, his first caricature was published in the Georgian humorous magazine "The Devil's Whip." His final work appeared in October 1921 during an exhibition at "La Licorne" Gallery in Paris, featuring works by three Georgian artists — Lado Gudiashvili, Davit Kakabadze, and Shalva Kikodze.

At the end of the 50s/beginning of the 60s Vera Pagava created a unique graphic style, which she mostly employed for plein-air landscape paintings and occasionally for the production of still lifes.The artist utilized this method to produce dozens of lyrical drawings that capture the fleeting essence of nature. Pagava drew dots and created images on blank pieces of paper using just a pencil (graphite).

Solomon Gershov was a Jewish artist from the Soviet Union and a representative of nonconformist art. These words themselves imply the inevitable dramatic development of Gershov’s life and creative work. All Jewish artists in the Soviet Union were possessed of a dual identity, and they continually needed to adjust to a different way of life, feeling like aliens in the world of art and not only.

Iranian easel painting from the 18th and 19th centuries occupies an important place in the history of both Iranian and global art. Owing to the fact that its initial creation and subsequent development occurred precisely during the reign of the Qajar dynasty in Iran, it is frequently referred to as Qajar or Royal Persian Painting. One of the world’s largest collections of easel paintings from the Qajar era is housed at the Shalva Amiranashvili State Museum of Fine Arts, which is a part of the National Museum of Georgia.

The notion that epochs are created by great individuals, giants who carry the enormous weight of an era’s destiny on their shoulders, is a widely held belief in our time. Although the 20th century did not lack thinkers and influencers, most of the distinguished people from this century encountered ordeals of different kinds. Included among these exceptional individuals is the flag-bearer of Georgian culture, Dimitri Shevardnadze.

Levan Kharanauli's artistic vision is both extremely personal and nationalistic at the same time. He stands firmly on his own soil, heritage, traditions, and the reality around him. He derives much inspiration from his homeland. For Levan Kharanauli, the work of his direct ancestor, Vazha Pshavela, is a philosophy that encompasses the whole world. Kharanauli’s art is something that a Georgian can introduce to the world. It is precisely by dint of their authenticity that his paintings are of value in a global context.

Georgian fine art from the first half of the twentieth century features numerous artists who have vanished from the pages of art history, as well as many outstanding artists who were compelled by the Soviet-era realities to modify their creative creed and identity. Among them, one of the most tragic figures is Irina Stenberg. The particular allure of Irina Stenberg's art, characterized by her boundless fantasy infused with eroticism and intertwined with subtle irony and grotesque elements, once resonated harmoniously with the delicate, decadent aesthetics of the modernist movement. However, her unique mode of artistic expression proved to be totally incompatible with the views of the Soviet government, which deemed only censored art as being safe and acceptable. The female artist's creativity and life of contradictions developed against the backdrop of this hidden conflict.

In Leila Shelia's artwork, one can discern distinct elements of separation, irreversibility, and irrationality. These elements emanate primarily from the powerful feminine characteristics that stand in contrast to more traditional masculine traits that are often to be found in Georgian art. This contrast is not aggressive, but rather transgressive in nature. The central theme revolves around an unending diary that is crafted with feminine sensibility and intuitive impulses. In the diary, the pages are in the form of painterly canvases, which serve as a unique testament for breaking free from the rigid constraints of the largely male-dominated Georgian art scene.

Karlo Grigolia, a reformer of Georgian sculpture and significant figure in Georgian art history, has only recently been recognized by Georgian society. Three exhibitions featuring his artistic legacy were organized between 2019 and 2023. Among them, the D. Shevardnadze National Gallery of Georgia held Karlo Grigolia's first retrospective exhibition “Forbidden Art” in March 2023, curated by G. Grigolia, and co-cureted by M. Chikvaidze.

The emergence of landscape painting as a distinct genre within Georgian fine art can be attributed to the period of Georgian painting that dates back to the 1910s and 1920s. At that time, the landscape evolved into a fully developed artistic phenomenon, which gave rise to the fundamental characteristics of Georgian easel painting. It became a central theme among the artists of that period, and was actively employed by nearly every representative of the new generation.

Archeological excavations in Armaziskhevi unearthed numerous artifacts of significant importance characterized by high aesthetic and technical quality that shed light on the art of silversmiths in pre-Christian Kartli (a Kingdom in Eastern Georgia). The silver and golden objects found in the necropolis of local governors (pitiakhshs) bear witness to active cultural exchange between Kartli and various countries of the East and West (e. g. Iran, Rome, etc.). Silver and golden objects have both material and aesthetic value. Due to its physical and technical properties, silver has been highly valued since antiquity. This precious metal was widely used for vessels, tableware, jewelry, and furniture decoration. Excavated artifacts from Armaziskhevi, dating from the first to third centuries CE, once belonging to the local aristocracy demonstrate their luxurious lifestyle and wealth.

Liturgical vessels and implements, such as chalices, liturgical fans - rhipidia, censers, are inseparable parts of the church Services. These precious metal objects decorated with religious imagery were produced in huge numbers over the centuries in medieval Georgia, but very few of them have preserved.

Secular portraiture in Medieval Georgia developed in close connection with religious art. The creation of “portraits” was connected with the ongoing socio-political processes in the country, particularly with the strengthening of feudal society. As in Byzantium, images of feudal lords appeared in church art in the 6th – 7th cc. Insertion of the figures of laymen into the decoration programs of the churches and stone cross pillars aimed to demonstrate their power and place in the feudal hierarchy.

During the Soviet era (1930-1950s), the landscape genre played an essential role in Georgian easel painting, since the specifics of the genre offered creators the opportunity to act freely. During this period, for many painters the landscape provided the solution, while for others it was an intuitive “move” whereby the painting skills of an artist could be freely revealed - the style of execution became much more natural and realistic, while the choice of theme or motif was unrestricted, honest and non-violent

Felix Varlamishvili (aka Varla) was born in 1903 in Kutaisi. He graduated from the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts (1922-27) and in 1928 left Georgia, arriving in Paris in 1929. Between 1948 and 1952 he lived in Buenos Aires and died in Paris in 1986.

In the 1940s, archaeologists discovered the necropolis of the Pitiakhshs, rulers of Iberia (eastern Georgia) in Armazi, which was part of the ancient Georgian capital, Mtskheta. The graves of the ruling aristocracy were distinguished by numerous precious objects, including various types of jewelry: necklaces, rings, earrings, buckles golden clothes adornments. The discovered objects are striking for their sophisticated technical and aesthetic qualities, indicating the highly-developed tradition of goldsmithery in eastern Georgia during the first centuries CE.

In 1965, an album of Vera Pagava’s sketches that included small-scale pencil drawings was published in Paris. Therein, by use of dots drawn with a tip of a graphite pencil, the artist presents the entire richness of nature. Through application of the simplest materials, she not only designs shapes that are perceived by the eye, but also makes us sense their dynamism, movement, and even hear the rustle of the leaves. And while contemplating these minimalistic graphic compositions, we can feel the light that is distributed throughout the space.

Georgian metalwork of the Middle Ages is an important phenomenon in the history of art. The ancient local tradition of goldsmith and silversmith has continued throughout the Christian era. Georgian masters produced a wide range of church artifacts: crosses, icons, book-covers, liturgical implements. For their creations, the Georgian masters mainly used silver, which was frequently plated with gold. Some non-ecclesiastical silver vessels from the 12th–13th century have also been preserved along with the precious metal object of church art.

The Knight in the Panther's Skin — Artist's Book, featuring artworks by fifteen contemporary Georgian artists, was published back in 2015 and presented at the National Gallery in concurrence with an exhibition of the same works, which are now an official part of the Gallery’s permanent collection.