Draft:Ekaterine Baghdavadze

Ekaterine Baghdavadze (b. October 24, 1916, Tbilisi – d. August 15, 1975, Tbilisi) was a Georgian painter, honored artist of Georgian art, and accomplished book illustrator. Known for her distinctive style, Baghdavadze’s work captures the essence of Georgian culture and has been celebrated both locally and internationally. Her paintings are held in public and private collections around the world, reflecting her enduring influence in the art world.

Biography

Ekaterine Baghdavadze was born in Tbilisi in 1916 into an art-loving family and showed a passion for drawing from an early age. She graduated from the Tbilisi Art Academy in 1941, where she studied under renowned artists Mose Toidze and Ucha Japaridze. Even during her studies, Baghdavadze’s distinctive style was evident. As a female artist in a period dominated by Soviet social realism, she faced significant challenges. Although pressured to conform to state-approved themes, she resisted these constraints, often focusing her work on themes related to women, which became a defining element of her artistic legacy. Ekaterine Baghdavadze married the academician Konstantine Arsenishvili, known for his work in designing and expanding Georgia’s irrigation canal system to include the villages. Baghdavadze and Arsenishvili, who shared the same birth year, welcomed their first child around the time when her friend, artist Elene Akhvlediani, invited her to Paris. Baghdavadze declined the invitation due to her pregnancy.

Konstantine Arsenishvili’s frequent business trips left Ekaterine Baghdavadze often alone with their children. During these times, she experienced insomnia and would paint throughout the night, sometimes improvising by attaching brushes to sticks for unique effects. Her artwork became both a creative outlet and a way to combat loneliness. Baghdavadze’s work was showcased in numerous prominent exhibitions across state and salon venues. Her studio became a vibrant gathering place for writers, musicians, and Georgian cultural patrons, fostering a rich artistic community.

Throughout her lifetime, Ekaterine Baghdavadze received numerous awards and honors, recognizing both her artistic achievements and her influence within Georgian cultural circles. Her talent and dedication earned her deep respect and admiration from the public, as well as from prominent intellectuals and artists of her time. Baghdavadze’s legacy was celebrated not only through official accolades but also through her widespread influence within the Georgian art community. Her passing in 1975 was marked by a solemn and symbolic farewell. A film capturing her funeral shows a procession led by her fellow Georgian women artists from the National Gallery, who respectfully carried her coffin as they accompanied her along her final journey. Ekaterine Baghdavadze was laid to rest in the Didube Pantheon of Writers and Public Figures, a resting place reserved for some of Georgia’s most respected cultural icons. Her contributions to Georgian art and culture remain commemorated both in her homeland and beyond.