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(1908, Leipzig – 1993, Tbilisi) 

Art Historian, Prof. Dr., studied medieval Georgian architecture and wood carving, modern architecture and sculpture, team-member and consultant of monuments restoration projects. He studied at the Construction Institute of Georgia. In 1941 he finished his post graduate studies at the Tbilisi State University, specialty: art history. For several years he worked at the Design-Construction agencies as an architect and later, as a researcher at the Vardzia Museum-Reserve.  

From 1945 he was staff member of the G. Chubinashvili Institute of History of Georgian Art. He had published number of noteworthy monographs, participated in the expeditions for graphical recording of monuments throughout Georgia; he has measured numerous significant Georgian churches (Svetitskhoveli, Ruisi, Gudarekhi, Bedia, Samtavisi, Samshvilde and many others). Great is his contribution to the protection and restoration of the Georgian architectural monuments. 

(1912, Tbilisi – 1971, Tbilisi) 

Ceramic designer, Honoured Artist of Georgia (1967). One of the prominent representatives of the Georgian ceramic art; subject-matter of his works is linked with the Georgian folklore – fairy tales. Z. Maisuradze received his education at the Tbilisi Academy of Arts (1932-1938), where he later on lectured (1939-1959). His keen interest towards old Georgian ceramics resulted in his close affiliation with the Institute of History of Georgian Art, where he worked in 1944-1971 and headed Minor Arts Department. 

Works: series “Stags”, 1952-1960 (Museum of Fine Arts, Georgian National Gallery); compositions of the Georgian fairy tales theme (minor plastics, 1952-1955), decorative panel “Harvest”, 1953 (Museum of Fine Arts); “Berikaoba”, decorative composition on ceramic tiles, 1957-1959, Georgian National Gallery. 

(1915, Tbilisi – 1993, Tbilisi) 

Architect, Honoured Artist of Georgia (1967), Laureate of the Shota Rustaveli State Prize of Georgia (1987) and other state awards, scholar of the Georgian architecture. In 1936 he graduated from the Industrial Institute of Georgia, Civil Engineering Department, specialty – architecture. Since 1941 he was closely connected with the activities of the Institute of History of Georgian Art and since 1945, was its staff member. V. Tsintsadze took active part in the expeditions organised by the Institute, since 1974 he was the Head of the Scholarly Documentation and Publication Department. Since 1972 he lectured at the Tbilisi Academy of Arts. 

W. Tsintsadze worked on the heritage protection problems. He is the author of the scholarly-analytical measured drawings and restoration projects of numerous Georgian architectural monuments (Nekresi, “Bagrati church” in Kutaisi, church of the Holy Cross in Telovani, Geguti fortress, Kvatakhevi church, etc.). W. Tsintsadze was a Honorary Member of the International Academy of Architecture. He is buried in Mtskheta, in the courtyard of Samtavro church. 

(1913, Esentuki – 2002, Tbilisi) 

Art Historian, Prof. Dr. (1971), Honoured Artist of Georgia (1982). Having graduated from the Transcaucasian Industrial Institute, specialty – architecture (1936), she started to work at the Institute of History of Georgian Art (1941); her entire scholarly activity was connected with this research centre.  

R. Mepisashvili’s studies are mainly dedicated to the medieval Georgian architecture. She is the author of significant monographs on the architecture of diverse historic regions of Georgia and Georgian art in general. She has greatly contributed to the recording of Georgian architectural sites and was actively involved in the heritage protection activities.  

(1909, vill. Khovle – 1986, Tbilisi) 

Art Historian, prominent scholar of the Georgian architecture, pedagogue, public figure, Honoured Artist of Georgia (1954). Having graduated from the Civil Engineering Institute of Georgia (1932) he started to work at the Art Museum “Metekhi” (1936) and in 1941-1986 was senior researcher at the Institute of History of Georgian Art; in 1954-1986 he was Head of the Department of Art History and Theory at the Tbilisi Academy of Arts, Professor of the same Academy.  

L. Rcheulishvili studied medieval ecclesiastical and secular architecture, creative activity of the 20th c. Georgian artists. He was actively involved in the heritage protection activities. Great is his contribution to the measuring and graphical recording of the monuments of architecture. L. Rcheulishvili was one of those who had established and strengthened scholarly and ethical traditions of the Institute of History of Georgian Art. 

(1887, Tbilisi – 1957, Kiev) 

Architect, Historian of Architecture, Member of the Academy of Architecture of the USSR. He graduated from the Petersburg Civil-Engineering Institute (1915).  In 1918-1948 he worked in Tbilisi (1935-1948 – Chairman of the Union of Georgian Architects). In 1948 he moved to Kiev. He was one of the founders of Tbilisi Academy of Fine Arts and its Professor (1922-1948). From 1942 he was Head of the Department of Art History of the Institute of Georgian Art History. 

N. Severov took an active part in the study and recording of the ancient Georgian architecture. He had publications on a number of most significant Georgian churches (Samtsevrisi, “Bagrati chuch” in Kutaisi, Samtsevrisi), he is the author of the first illustrated book on ancient Georgian architecture. 

Great is his contribution to the measuring and recording of monuments (Nekresi, Shiomgvime, church of the Holy Cross in Mtskheta, Tsromi, Kumurdo, Martvili, Alaverdi, Nikortsminda and many others). He also measured monuments of old secular architecture, residential houses in Tbilisi, etc. He was the first to elaborate methodology of analytical graphical recording of monuments, displaying their historical layers.  

N. Severov’s activity as an architect was also very intensive. He is the author of many public buildings and residential houses in Tbilisi and other cities of Georgia – reconstruction of S. Janashia State Museum of Georgia in 1929, King Tamara’s bridge, the “Rustaveli” Cinema and many others. He won state awards. 

N. Severov’s creative life was tightly linked with Georgia, where he was always highly appreciated.  

(1907, Tbilisi – 1985, Tbilisi)

Art historian, researcher of the medieval Georgian mural painting. In 1924, after leaving school she went to Academy of Arts, Department of Painting and, in parallel, she studied at the Tbilisi University, Department of History, which she graduated from in 1929. She took her post-graduate course in Leningrad. Her supervisor was a well-known Byzantine scholar Dimitri Ainalov. She worked as a Head of Department at the “Metekhi” Museum of Fine Art. She was one of the founders of the Chubinashvili Institute of History of Georgian Art.  

From 1941 till the end of her life, she worked at the Chubinashvili Institute of History of Georgian Art, for a quarter of a century she headed Fine Arts Department and then Medieval Fine Arts Department. She was closely connected with the heritage protection as a scientific consultant of the mural painting restoration projects.  

Her works were of a crucial significance for the study of the medieval Georgian mural painting, identification of its historical stages, regional schools of painting and certain peculiarities of individual monuments. At the same time she devoted many of her works to the study of the 19th and 20th cc. Georgian fine art.  

High was her authority not only among the Georgian scholars, but the researchers of the Byzantine and entire East-Christian art.

(1901, Tbilisi – 1967, Tbilisi) 

Art Historian, famous scholar of the Georgian art; Prof. Dr. (1966). She was born in Tbilisi and lived all her life here; her activities were linked with Georgia and Georgian art. Having graduated from the Tbilisi Academy of Arts (1929), she worked at the State Museum of Georgia and since 1941 was the senior researcher of the Institute of History of Georgian Art. She is the author of fundamental monographs on the medieval Georgian architecture and architectural sculpture, old Georgian plastic art and medieval book illumination. She also studied problems of the Georgian palaeography and published guidebooks on the architectural sites of Georgia.  

Schmerling’s works are characterised by the thorough, comprehensive research of each monument and superb stylistic analysis. She had doubtless literary talent, which also distinguishes her writings. R. Schmerling was a fanatic of her work. She had visited almost every region of Georgia, making thorough records and sketches in her notebooks; she had organised several expeditions to Svaneti, Dagestan, etc. Collaboration with her was always interesting for her colleagues and most beneficiary for the young scholars. Having worked 26 years at the Institute, R. Scmerling had greatly contributed to its activities and Georgian art historical field. Her works occupy a significant place in the scholarly literature on Georgian art.