ART HISTORY AND CIVILIZATION

THE CILICIAN STYLE

Consequently, upon their return to the homeland, those artists who studied abroad brought new techniques, styles and methods to the Armenian national art. Consequently, new ideas, new concepts and new insights were incorporated in the original and traditional national Armenian art. The return of those artists who have been influenced by French, Russian and German artists and teachers originated the integration of these new  views, approaches, methods and forms into a new national art-style which lasted until the dawn of the coming century. Thus, the returning artists became the l9th century original pioneers. Thanks to them, to their followers and to a handful of visionary writers and art teachers, the newly introduced and now The National Armenian New Art Style flourished. Among those who diligently and effectively contributed to the development of the new art were Abovian, Alishan, Nalbandian and Patkanian  who by the same token  renewed and developed the “Concept of the Homeland” and “Armenia Freedom”; An art-thought process that would and will dominate the Armenian art palettes and canvases for ever inside and outside Armenia.

 Photo: Portrait of Catholicos Nerses Ashtaraktsi by Hakob Hovnatanian

Hakob Hovnatanian learned to paint from his father, the master artist Mktum. He was born in cosmopolitan Tiflis which in the 19th century had become a major center for  Armenian art and humanities. As a portraitist, Hakob Hovnatanian was less interested in the physiognomy of the model than in the person himself. He concentrated his attention on the shape and contour of the face, the eyes and the hands, the inner feelings and sentiments of his model.

 

Photo: Portrait of young Akimyan by Hagop Hovnatanian.

In his portraits,  Hovnatanian gradually depicted figures with religious attention to the characteristic traits of the face. The detailed attributes and traits appeared in quasi-triangular form, consciously or un-consciously inspired by the old Armenian portraitures and other drawings  he previously consulted and reviewed in monasteries. Even though it was the very beginning of a modern era for Armenian painting in comparison with and in relation to the Medieval ages of Armenian manuscripts paintings, Hovnatanian who was exclusively taught by one single teacher (His father) reached a quasi-Italian Classical level with vivacity and realism  through the use of various colors tones, shades and lights. This innovative approach to Armenian medieval techniques brought movement and life to his paintings. For the epoch, this technique was quite innovative and revolutionary. There is a strange, intriguing and perhaps intentional sense of space and composition balance in his paintings. For instance, the women he painted are always seated yet,    they appear to us as if they were partially standing or ready to stand up! The boys and the men (religious figures and dignitaries) he painted  have one  hand always rested on their hips.  In many instances, it is always the right hand . Another observation: Watch carefully his paintings. Almost all of hem have one pre-dominant trait in common. It is almost a trade mark (Probably this was intentional on the part of the artist). The painted personage never look straight at you. And if they do, it  is ALWAYS in an unusual angular manner as if they were looking at you from one side of their face! Look again! What a sharp contrast with  previous Armenian painting styles! In previous and medieval Armenian paintings, depicted personages, religious or secular figures, never looked at anybody except at the nearest person who has been intentionally placed by the artist at a very close distance from them, in order to justify and explain the direct relation between the personages.