The Georgian fine arts

lmost until recently the term Georgian art was applied only to the art which has arisen in Georgia after introduction of Christian religion and developed in an epoch of formation of feudal state that replaced a slaveholding formation. The narrowness of such approach becomes especially noticeable at the nearest studying of primary sources. History of the material culture and art of Georgia and all Transcaucasia from the ancient times is connected with many complex and contradictory questions because this period is poorly reflected in written documents, and material monuments alongside with linguistic data are the only source of information. The term "painting" can be referred to ancient Georgian monuments only since XI-XII centuries. On the territory of Georgia there are no murals of the same type as those of catacombs of Rome, Northern Black Sea Coast, Palmyra and others in which, despite of attempts of introduction of Christian themes, traditions of an ancient art are so strong, that some researchers correctly give them the term «Christian antiquity». Requirements of distribution of Christianity in Georgia were others, than in the West and in Hellenist countries of Minor Asia and Byzantium.

Most probably, there were no monuments of early religious painting in Georgia, because up to the end of VI century Monophysitet doctrine dominated in East Georgia. Monophysite Church, isolated from the Byzantian church and from sphere of influence of Constantinople patriarchy, abstained from the custom to decorate an interior of temples with a mosaic or a fresco.

The fragments of the mosaic painting which has been kept in Zromi temple belong to an epoch of the middle of VI century.
The plot of the painting is those: in the centre of a composition there is Christ standing at the foot of the mounting, with His right hand lifted for blessing and His left hand holding the unfolded roll with an inscription in ancient Georgian language.

He is standing between two apostles Peter and Paul approaching Him. Figures of apostles are presented in the strong motion, what is underlined by a fluttering hem of the garment of apostle Peter.

The central position of the figure of Christ with a roll in the left-hand is identical with a figure of the Savior of the well-known monuments of early-Christian art with the same plot.

The comparative analysis of a composition of early Christian monuments and painting of conhe in Zromi leads us to the conclusion, that edition of plot of Zromi mosaic has lead to the loss of many features peculiar to earlier period of Christian religious art. The Christ in Tzromi stands at the foot of the mountain, and not on the mountain from which, according to the spread tradition, 4 paradise rivers flow, symbolizing 4 gospels, 4 evangelists and 4 parts of the earth where the new doctrine was spread. There are no images of palm trees behind apostles, as well as a phoenix - a symbol of immortality and revival. Peter does not have the cross symbolizing his martyr death for the sermon of Christian doctrine. There is no “celestial city of Jerusalem” behind apostles. Despite of complex and contradictory problem, concerning the origin of the given composition and its dogmatic basis, it is necessary to note, that, most probably, influence of Rome has affected many iconographic features, characteristic more likely for the West, than for the East.

Christ from the Zromi mosaic does not give the law and peace to the apostles, but specifies His atonement mission and sufferings ahead, what is reflected in the inscription on a roll. « Prepared for the throne » proves the correctness of such interpretation of basic idea of Zromi mosaic. A Cross, shroud (or sudarij), implements of torture and death - attributes of "throne" - also confirm this guess.

The Deesis composition depicting “Savior Not Made By Hand ” is closely related to the content of Zromi mosaic. Unfortunately, the face of the Savior is almost absolutely blurred. Only the upper part of the countenance has survived. The shape of a head, a wide slit of eyes, character of forehead modeling and hair underline genetic connection with early East-Christian monuments.

The stories about “Savior Not Made By Hand” were widely spread in ancient Georgia. This fact is reflected in other written sources and proved by encaustic image of “Savior Not Made By Hand”, that refer to V-VI centuries.

Despite of a fragmentariness of a mosaic, iconographic analysis of all the composition and  series of the stylistic features having the nearest analogies to monuments of the Georgian art of the end of VI century and not later than the 1st half of VII century, especially relief sculpture, enable to refer mosaics of Zromi temple to the same epoch. So, the shape of crimps of the falling edge of gimatij of the Savior of Zromi mosaic is similar to crimps of gimatij of St. Stephan on a relief in Dzhvari. The ideological content of compositions specifies closer connection of the Georgian art with the Christian East, than with the West. Its style closely coordinates with other monuments of the early-Christian religious art which have arisen on the territory of Georgia not earlier than the end of VI century and not later than the gain of east Georgia by Arabs.