Elene Akhvlediani () (April 5, 1898 in Telavi – December 30, 1975 in

Tbilisi Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი, ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), ( ka, ტფილისი, tr ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), largest city of Georgia ( ...

) was a 20th-century Georgian painter, graphic artist, and theater decorator. Akhvlediani is famous for her depictions of Georgian towns, for her illustrations for the works of

Ilia Chavchavadze Tavadi, Tavadi (Prince) Ilia Chavchavadze ( ka, ილია ჭავჭავაძე; 27 October 1837 – 12 September 1907) was a Georgians, Georgian journalist, publisher, writer and poet who spearheaded the revival of Georgian nationalism ...

and Vazha-Pshavela, and for designing plays in the Marjanishvili Theater in

, Georgia. She received her education Tbilisi N. Skliphosofsky Art Studio. She traveled to Moscow and got impressed by Vrubel’s paintings. In 1919 she participated in Georgian artists exhibition. In 1921 continues studies at Tbilisi Art Academy in G. Gabashvili class. In 1922 she left for Italy for further studies and traveled to Rome, Milan, Florence and Venice for 6 months. In 1924, Akhvlediani began studying at Académie Colarossi in Paris, where her main field of work – urban landscapes – elaborated. By this time she made the whole series of Parisian views. It is also in Paris that a big graphic series of her up till now less known Nude is created. Obviously, she never returned to it back in Soviet Georgi

Like her avant-garde colleague Lado Gudiashvili, Akhvlediani faced persecution under Stalin but was widely celebrated by the 1970s. Her landscapes of Old Tbilisi, in particular, were embraced during the late Soviet period's revival of interest in urban folk culture. Akhvlediani appears as herself (alongside Lado Gudiashvili) in Temur Palavandishvili's 1973 film ''Mze Shemodgomisa'' (Autumn Sun), in which a stifled artist moves to Ortachala from his sterile postwar flat and finds inspiration in the city's historic architecture. To this day, many painters of Old Tbilisi buildings wittingly or unwittingly emulate Akhvlediani's style.

References

1898 births 1975 deaths Burials at Didube Pantheon People from Telavi Svan people Women painters from Georgia (country) 20th-century painters from Georgia (country) 20th-century women painters {{Georgia-painter-stub