Dimitri Shevardnadze
Encyclopedia
Dimitri Shevardnadze (December 1, 1885 – 1937) was a Georgian
painter, art collector and intellectual purged during the Stalinist repressions.
Born in a small village Bakhvi in the western Georgian province of Guria
, then part of the Russian Empire
, he was educated at the Art academies of St Petersburg and Munich
. Upon his return to Georgia, he founded, in 1916, and led the Association of Georgian Artists. He helped also to establish the National Gallery of Fine Arts (1920) and the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts
(1922). He decorated several opera and theatre performances, and movies, and designed an official logo of the Tbilisi State University
.
In 1937, the local Communist
chief Lavrenti Pavlovich Beria intended to destroy the medieval Metekhi
church in Tbilisi
, but met a stubborn opposition by a group of Georgian intellectuals led by Dimitri Shevardnadze. Beria replied to their urges, that it would surely be enough to preserve a scale model of the church so that people could see it in a museum, and then told Shevardnadze privately that if he gave up his efforts to save the church he would be appointed director of the future museum. The artist refused and was imprisoned and executed. The church was preserved, however.
Georgian politician Eduard Shevardnadze
is a son of a cousin of Dmitri Shevardnadze.
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
painter, art collector and intellectual purged during the Stalinist repressions.
Born in a small village Bakhvi in the western Georgian province of Guria
Guria
Guria is a region in Georgia, in the western part of the country, bordered by the eastern end of the Black Sea. The region has a population of 143,357 and Ozurgeti is a regional capital.-Geography:...
, then part of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
, he was educated at the Art academies of St Petersburg and Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
. Upon his return to Georgia, he founded, in 1916, and led the Association of Georgian Artists. He helped also to establish the National Gallery of Fine Arts (1920) and the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts
Tbilisi State Academy of Arts
The Tbilisi State Academy of Arts is one of the oldest universities in Georgia, Caucasus. It's located in the Tbilisi City near the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre on Rustaveli avenue ....
(1922). He decorated several opera and theatre performances, and movies, and designed an official logo of the Tbilisi State University
Tbilisi State University
Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University , better known as Tbilisi State University , is a university established on 8 February 1918 in Tbilisi, Georgia. TSU is the oldest university in the whole Caucasus region...
.
In 1937, the local Communist
Communist party
A political party described as a Communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of communism through a communist form of government...
chief Lavrenti Pavlovich Beria intended to destroy the medieval Metekhi
Metekhi
Metekhi is a historic neighborhood of Tbilisi, Georgia, located on the elevated cliff that overlooks the Mtkvari river.- History :The district was one of the earliest inhabited areas on the city’s territory...
church in Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
, but met a stubborn opposition by a group of Georgian intellectuals led by Dimitri Shevardnadze. Beria replied to their urges, that it would surely be enough to preserve a scale model of the church so that people could see it in a museum, and then told Shevardnadze privately that if he gave up his efforts to save the church he would be appointed director of the future museum. The artist refused and was imprisoned and executed. The church was preserved, however.
Georgian politician Eduard Shevardnadze
Eduard Shevardnadze
Eduard Shevardnadze is a former Soviet, and later, Georgian statesman from the height to the end of the Cold War. He served as President of Georgia from 1995 to 2003, and as First Secretary of the Georgian Communist Party , from 1972 to 1985. Shevardnadze was responsible for many top decisions on...
is a son of a cousin of Dmitri Shevardnadze.