Georgia

Volunteer Mariam Otkhmezuri ruminates on the legacy of her homeland, Georgia.

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We started finding out more about the United States and the song "Georgia on My Mind" by Ray Charles. We loved it. I thought he was singing about us.

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  • Mariam Otkhmezuri
    1280852
  • Georgia O'Keeffe  |  1918  |  Alfred Stieglitz (American)  |  Platinum print  |  Gift of Georgia O'Keeffe through the generosity of The Georgia O'Keeffe Foundation and Jennifer and Joseph Duke, 1997 (1997.61.25)
    8141024
  • [Row of Brick Slave Cabins at Hermitage Plantation, Near Savannah, Georgia]  |  1935  |  Walker Evans (American)  |  Film negative  |  Walker Evans Archive, 1994 (1994.258.518)
    12711024
  • [Wooden House in Field, From Moving Automobile, Macon, Georgia]  |  February 1935  |  Walker Evans (American)  |  Film negative  |  Walker Evans Archive, 1994 (1994.253.433.15)
    1280906
  • Blindman's Buff  |  1982–83  |  Alexander Melamid (Russian), Vitaly Komar (Russian)  |  Oil on canvas  |  Anonymous Gift, 1991 (1991.466)
    6661024
  • Blindman's Buff  |  1982–83  |  Alexander Melamid (Russian), Vitaly Komar (Russian)  |  Oil on canvas  |  Anonymous Gift, 1991 (1991.466)
    9381024
  • Medallion with Christ from an Icon Frame  |  ca. 1100  |  Byzantine; From the Djumati Monastery, Georgia (now Republic of Georgia); Made in Constantinople  |  Cloisonné enamel, gold  |  Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.678)
    650624
  • Medallion with Saint Peter from an Icon Frame  |  ca. 1100  |  Byzantine; From the Djumati Monastery, Georgia (now Republic of Georgia); Made in Constantinople  |  Cloisonné enamel, gold  |  Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.670)
    10161024
  • Medallion with Saint John the Baptist from an Icon Frame  |  ca. 1100  |  Byzantine; From the Djumati Monastery, Georgia (now Republic of Georgia); Made in Constantinople  |  Cloisonné enamel, gold  |  Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.677)
    10151024
  • Medallion with Saint Luke from an Icon Frame  |  ca. 1100  |  Byzantine; From the Djumati Monastery, Georgia (now Republic of Georgia); Made in Constantinople  |  Cloisonné enamel, gold  |  Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.671)
    10161024
  • Medallion with Saint George from an Icon Frame  |  ca. 1100  |  Byzantine; From the Djumati Monastery, Georgia (now Republic of Georgia); Made in Constantinople  |  Cloisonné enamel, gold  |  Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.674)
    10161024
  • Medallions with Christ from an Icon Frame  |  ca. 1100  |  Byzantine; From the Djumati Monastery, Georgia (now Republic of Georgia); Made in Constantinople  |  Cloisonné enamel, gold  |  Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.678)
    7021024
  • Belt clasp  |  1st–3rd century a.d.  |  Caucasus region (Georgia)  |  Bronze  |  Rogers Fund, 1921 (21.166.5)
    10341024
  • Brooch in the form of a stag  |  late 3rd–early 4th century  |  Caucasus region (Georgia)  |  Bronze  |  Rogers Fund, 1921 (21.166.3)
    9311024
  • Center table  |  ca. 1780–85  |  Russia (Tula, Imperial Armory)  |  Steel, silver, gilded copper, gilded brass, basswood, mirror glass (replacement)  |  Purchase, The Annenberg Foundation Gift, 2002 (2002.115)
    8201024
  • Center table  |  ca. 1780–85  |  Russia (Tula, Imperial Armory)  |  Steel, silver, gilded copper, gilded brass, basswood, mirror glass (replacement)  |  Purchase, The Annenberg Foundation Gift, 2002 (2002.115)
    4991024
  • Center table  |  ca. 1780–85  |  Russia (Tula, Imperial Armory)  |  Steel, silver, gilded copper, gilded brass, basswood, mirror glass (replacement)  |  Purchase, The Annenberg Foundation Gift, 2002 (2002.115)
    10551024
  • Center table  |  ca. 1780–85  |  Russia (Tula, Imperial Armory)  |  Steel, silver, gilded copper, gilded brass, basswood, mirror glass (replacement)  |  Purchase, The Annenberg Foundation Gift, 2002 (2002.115)
    10821024
  • Center table  |  ca. 1780–85  |  Russia (Tula, Imperial Armory)  |  Steel, silver, gilded copper, gilded brass, basswood, mirror glass (replacement)  |  Purchase, The Annenberg Foundation Gift, 2002 (2002.115)
    8611024
  • Dagger  |  19th century  |  Caucasian  |  Steel, wood, silver, niello  |  Bequest of Stephen Whitney Phoenix, 1881 (81.1.599)
    6621024
  • Schiac Appas, Re di Persia (Shah cAbbas, King of Persia)  |  Publisher: Giacomo Franco, Venice, 1596  |  Engraver: Giacomo Franco (Italian, Venetian)  |  The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1957 (57.506)
    7051024
  • Laila and Majnun at School: Page from the Khamsa of Nizami (Quintet of Nizami)  |  A.H. 835 /1431–32 a.d.  |  Artist: possibly Mir Khalil; calligrapher: Ja'far  |  Herat, present-day Afghanistan  |  Ink, opaque watercolors, and gold on paper  |  Purchase, Lila Acheson Wallace Gift, 1994 (1994.232.4)
    7511024
  • Laila and Majnun at School: Page from the Khamsa of Nizami (Quintet of Nizami)  |  A.H. 835 /1431–32 a.d.  |  Artist: possibly Mir Khalil; calligrapher: Ja'far  |  Herat, present-day Afghanistan  |  Ink, opaque watercolors, and gold on paper  |  Purchase, Lila Acheson Wallace Gift, 1994 (1994.232.4)
    552909
  • Vsevolod Mikhailovich Garshin (1855–1888)  |  1884  |  Ilia Efimovich Repin (Russian)  |  Oil on canvas  |  Gift of Humanities Fund Inc., 1972 (1972.145.2)
    7931024
  • Vsevolod Mikhailovich Garshin (1855–1888)  |  1884  |  Ilia Efimovich Repin (Russian)  |  Oil on canvas  |  Gift of Humanities Fund Inc., 1972 (1972.145.2)
    9051024
  • Laila and Majnun at School: Page from the Khamsa of Nizami (Quintet of Nizami)  |  A.H. 835 /1431–32 a.d.  |  Artist: possibly Mir Khalil; calligrapher: Ja'far  |  Herat, present-day Afghanistan  |  Ink, opaque watercolors, and gold on paper  |  Purchase, Lila Acheson Wallace Gift, 1994 (1994.232.4)
    5481024
  • Mariam Otkhmezuri
    1280852
  • My name is Mariam Otkhmezuri. I'm a volunteer at the Met, and my topic is Georgia. We Georgians call ourselves different names, it's an English name.

  • Many people associate the name with Georgia O'Keeffe. Other people think about

  • the state Georgia. When I start learning English, at the time it was still Soviet Union, Gorbachev's policies became a little bit looser. That's when

  • we start finding out more about the United States and the song "Georgia on My Mind" by Ray Charles. We loved it. I thought he was singing about us.

  • What people know about Georgia is that Stalin was Georgian. There are ambivalent feelings about Joseph Stalin in Georgia. Many consider that he was a great leader who transformed Soviet Union from a backward country into a superpower

  • but hardly anyone denies that it was a tyrannical regime where people suffered. There was still a monument of Stalin in his birthplace and I've recently heard that they've taken it down. That was the only monument that existed.

  • After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Georgia emerged as an independent country in 1991.

  • Since then, looking for national identity has been an important issue.

  • These are Byzantine medallions that once were part of a frame of an icon.

  • In the western part of Georgia, it was a spiritual center for centuries and

  • it enjoyed patronage from local princes and nobility. My ancestors are from that region.

  • So I'd like to think that my ancestors had an opportunity to see the icon in its full splendor.

  • As an independent nation there is intense thinking and rethinking of Georgia's place in the world. Scholars and historians need to be very careful when they use archaeological findings.

  • It cannot be used to promote national politics. You cannot really assign to any ethnic group who really made this. We have an opportunity to see it and we need to try to understand what was going on in Near East at that time.

  • The Tula table was ordered by Catherine the Great at the time when our kingdom

  • really asked for protection against the Persians.

  • The armory not only made furniture and beautiful objects, but it also made cannons and rifles.

  • One thing we need to remember is that Georgia depended

  • on other nations for its security, so it would find allies among potential enemies.

  • Daggers are indispensable accessory of male traditional clothing. It reminds me of resistance that ethnic groups of North Caucasus showed to Russians and current resistance happening in Dagestan and Chechnya.

  • Georgia had very interesting and long relation with Iran historically. Shah cAbbas was the king when Iran's expansion reached its highest point and Georgia became part of Persia.

  • Persian culture affected Georgian architecture, literature.

  • Also Georgian motifs became popular in Persia so there was this vigorous cultural exchange.

  • When I look at this picture I think of Russian radical intelligentsia that made its commitment to serving people. Many Georgian intellectuals were educated in northern universities of Russia, and when they returned home, they

  • directed their energies to creating beautiful literature, and journalism, and founding schools. Although it's very Georgian and it's very unique, at the same time definitely has Russian influence.

  • Georgian language is original, it doesn't belong to any other linguistic groups and its alphabet is unique. For Georgians, to communicate in the language became self-preservation. It was the language that really kept us

  • as Georgians.

  • 1997.61.25
    Georgia O'Keeffe, 1918, Alfred Stieglitz (American), Platinum print Gift of Georgia O'Keeffe through the generosity of The Georgia O'Keeffe Foundation and Jennifer and Joseph Duke, 1997 (1997.61.25)
  • 1994.258.518
    [Row of Brick Slave Cabins at Hermitage Plantation, Near Savannah, Georgia], 1935, Walker Evans (American), Film negative Walker Evans Archive, 1994 (1994.258.518)
  • 1994.253.433.15
    [Wooden House in Field, From Moving Automobile, Macon, Georgia], February 1935, Walker Evans (American), Film negative Walker Evans Archive, 1994 (1994.253.433.15)
  • 1991.466
    Blindman's Buff, 1982–83, Alexander Melamid (Russian), Vitaly Komar (Russian), Oil on canvas Anonymous Gift, 1991 (1991.466)
  • 17.190.678
    Medallion with Christ from an Icon Frame, ca. 1100, Byzantine; From the Djumati Monastery, Georgia (now Republic of Georgia); Made in Constantinople, Cloisonné enamel, gold Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.678)
  • 17.190.670
    Medallion with Saint Peter from an Icon Frame, ca. 1100, Byzantine; From the Djumati Monastery, Georgia (now Republic of Georgia); Made in Constantinople, Cloisonné enamel, gold Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.670)
  • 17.190.677
    Medallion with Saint John the Baptist from an Icon Frame, ca. 1100, Byzantine; From the Djumati Monastery, Georgia (now Republic of Georgia); Made in Constantinople, Cloisonné enamel, gold Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.677)
  • 17.190.671
    Medallion with Saint Luke from an Icon Frame, ca. 1100, Byzantine; From the Djumati Monastery, Georgia (now Republic of Georgia); Made in Constantinople, Cloisonné enamel, gold Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.671)
  • 17.190.674
    Medallion with Saint George from an Icon Frame, ca. 1100, Byzantine; From the Djumati Monastery, Georgia (now Republic of Georgia); Made in Constantinople, Cloisonné enamel, gold Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.674)
  • 21.166.5
    Belt clasp, 1st–3rd century a.d., Caucasus region (Georgia), Bronze Rogers Fund, 1921 (21.166.5)
  • 21.166.3
    Brooch in the form of a stag, late 3rd–early 4th century, Caucasus region (Georgia), Bronze Rogers Fund, 1921 (21.166.3)
  • 2002.115
    Center table, ca. 1780–85, Russia (Tula, Imperial Armory), Steel, silver, gilded copper, gilded brass, basswood, mirror glass (replacement) Purchase, The Annenberg Foundation Gift, 2002 (2002.115)
  • 81.1.599
    Dagger, 19th century, Caucasian, Steel, wood, silver, niello Bequest of Stephen Whitney Phoenix, 1881 (81.1.599)
  • 57.506
    Schiac Appas, Re di Persia (Shah cAbbas, King of Persia), Publisher: Giacomo Franco, Venice, 1596, Engraver: Giacomo Franco (Italian, Venetian) The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1957 (57.506)
  • 1994.232.4
    Laila and Majnun at School: Page from the Khamsa of Nizami (Quintet of Nizami), A.H. 835 /1431–32 a.d., Artist: possibly Mir Khalil; calligrapher: Ja'far, Herat, present-day Afghanistan, Ink, opaque watercolors, and gold on paper Purchase, Lila Acheson Wallace Gift, 1994 (1994.232.4)
  • 1972.145.2
    Vsevolod Mikhailovich Garshin (1855–1888), 1884, Ilia Efimovich Repin (Russian), Oil on canvas Gift of Humanities Fund Inc., 1972 (1972.145.2)
  • Georgia O'Keeffe, 1918, Alfred Stieglitz (American), Platinum print Gift of Georgia O'Keeffe through the generosity of The Georgia O'Keeffe Foundation and Jennifer and Joseph Duke, 1997 (1997.61.25)
    [Row of Brick Slave Cabins at Hermitage Plantation, Near Savannah, Georgia], 1935, Walker Evans (American), Film negative Walker Evans Archive, 1994 (1994.258.518)
    [Wooden House in Field, From Moving Automobile, Macon, Georgia], February 1935, Walker Evans (American), Film negative Walker Evans Archive, 1994 (1994.253.433.15)
    Blindman's Buff, 1982–83, Alexander Melamid (Russian), Vitaly Komar (Russian), Oil on canvas Anonymous Gift, 1991 (1991.466)
    Medallion with Christ from an Icon Frame, ca. 1100, Byzantine; From the Djumati Monastery, Georgia (now Republic of Georgia); Made in Constantinople, Cloisonné enamel, gold Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.678)
    Medallion with Saint Peter from an Icon Frame, ca. 1100, Byzantine; From the Djumati Monastery, Georgia (now Republic of Georgia); Made in Constantinople, Cloisonné enamel, gold Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.670)
    Medallion with Saint John the Baptist from an Icon Frame, ca. 1100, Byzantine; From the Djumati Monastery, Georgia (now Republic of Georgia); Made in Constantinople, Cloisonné enamel, gold Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.677)
    Medallion with Saint Luke from an Icon Frame, ca. 1100, Byzantine; From the Djumati Monastery, Georgia (now Republic of Georgia); Made in Constantinople, Cloisonné enamel, gold Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.671)
    Medallion with Saint George from an Icon Frame, ca. 1100, Byzantine; From the Djumati Monastery, Georgia (now Republic of Georgia); Made in Constantinople, Cloisonné enamel, gold Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.674)
    Belt clasp, 1st–3rd century a.d., Caucasus region (Georgia), Bronze Rogers Fund, 1921 (21.166.5)
    Brooch in the form of a stag, late 3rd–early 4th century, Caucasus region (Georgia), Bronze Rogers Fund, 1921 (21.166.3)
    Center table, ca. 1780–85, Russia (Tula, Imperial Armory), Steel, silver, gilded copper, gilded brass, basswood, mirror glass (replacement) Purchase, The Annenberg Foundation Gift, 2002 (2002.115)
    Dagger, 19th century, Caucasian, Steel, wood, silver, niello Bequest of Stephen Whitney Phoenix, 1881 (81.1.599)
    Schiac Appas, Re di Persia (Shah cAbbas, King of Persia), Publisher: Giacomo Franco, Venice, 1596, Engraver: Giacomo Franco (Italian, Venetian) The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1957 (57.506)
    Laila and Majnun at School: Page from the Khamsa of Nizami (Quintet of Nizami), A.H. 835 /1431–32 a.d., Artist: possibly Mir Khalil; calligrapher: Ja'far, Herat, present-day Afghanistan, Ink, opaque watercolors, and gold on paper Purchase, Lila Acheson Wallace Gift, 1994 (1994.232.4)
    Vsevolod Mikhailovich Garshin (1855–1888), 1884, Ilia Efimovich Repin (Russian), Oil on canvas Gift of Humanities Fund Inc., 1972 (1972.145.2)
    8000–2000 B.C.
    2000–1000 B.C.
    1000 B.C.–1 A.D.
    1–500 A.D.
    500–1000 A.D.
    1000–1400 A.D.
    1400–1600 A.D.
    1600–1800 A.D.
    1800–1900 A.D.
    1900–Present

    Works of art in order of appearance

    Last Updated: June 22, 2015. Not all works of art in the Museum's collection may be on view on a particular day. For the most accurate location information, please check this page on the day of your visit.

    Georgia O'Keeffe
    1918
    Alfred Stieglitz (American)
    Platinum print
    Gift of Georgia O'Keeffe through the generosity of The Georgia O'Keeffe Foundation and Jennifer and Joseph Duke, 1997 (1997.61.25)
    Not on view
    PhotographsSecond Floor
    [Row of Brick Slave Cabins at Hermitage Plantation, Near Savannah, Georgia]
    1935
    Walker Evans (American)
    Film negative
    Walker Evans Archive, 1994 (1994.258.518)
    Not on view
    PhotographsSecond Floor
    [Wooden House in Field, From Moving Automobile, Macon, Georgia]
    February 1935
    Walker Evans (American)
    Film negative
    Walker Evans Archive, 1994 (1994.253.433.15)
    Not on view
    PhotographsSecond Floor
    Blindman's Buff
    1982–83
    Alexander Melamid (Russian), Vitaly Komar (Russian)
    Oil on canvas
    Anonymous Gift, 1991 (1991.466)
    Not on view
    Modern and Contemporary ArtSecond Floor
    Medallion with Christ from an Icon Frame
    ca. 1100
    Byzantine; From the Djumati Monastery, Georgia (now Republic of Georgia); Made in Constantinople
    Cloisonné enamel, gold
    Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.678)
    Not on view
    Medieval Art and The CloistersFirst Floor
    Medallion with Saint Peter from an Icon Frame
    ca. 1100
    Byzantine; From the Djumati Monastery, Georgia (now Republic of Georgia); Made in Constantinople
    Cloisonné enamel, gold
    Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.670)
    Not on view
    Medieval Art and The CloistersFirst Floor
    Medallion with Saint John the Baptist from an Icon Frame
    ca. 1100
    Byzantine; From the Djumati Monastery, Georgia (now Republic of Georgia); Made in Constantinople
    Cloisonné enamel, gold
    Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.677)
    Not on view
    Medieval Art and The CloistersFirst Floor
    Medallion with Saint Luke from an Icon Frame
    ca. 1100
    Byzantine; From the Djumati Monastery, Georgia (now Republic of Georgia); Made in Constantinople
    Cloisonné enamel, gold
    Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.671)
    Not on view
    Medieval Art and The CloistersFirst Floor
    Medallion with Saint George from an Icon Frame
    ca. 1100
    Byzantine; From the Djumati Monastery, Georgia (now Republic of Georgia); Made in Constantinople
    Cloisonné enamel, gold
    Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.674)
    Not on view
    Medieval Art and The CloistersFirst Floor
    Belt clasp
    1st–3rd century a.d.
    Caucasus region (Georgia)
    Bronze
    Rogers Fund, 1921 (21.166.5)
    Not on view
    Ancient Near Eastern ArtSecond Floor
    Brooch in the form of a stag
    late 3rd–early 4th century
    Caucasus region (Georgia)
    Bronze
    Rogers Fund, 1921 (21.166.3)
    Not on view
    Ancient Near Eastern ArtSecond Floor
    Center table
    ca. 1780–85
    Russia (Tula, Imperial Armory)
    Steel, silver, gilded copper, gilded brass, basswood, mirror glass (replacement)
    Purchase, The Annenberg Foundation Gift, 2002 (2002.115)
    Not on view
    European Sculpture and Decorative ArtsFirst Floor
    Dagger
    19th century
    Caucasian
    Steel, wood, silver, niello
    Bequest of Stephen Whitney Phoenix, 1881 (81.1.599)
    Not on view
    Arms and ArmorFirst Floor
    Schiac Appas, Re di Persia (Shah cAbbas, King of Persia)
    Publisher: Giacomo Franco, Venice, 1596
    Engraver: Giacomo Franco (Italian, Venetian)
    The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1957 (57.506)
    Not on view
    Drawings and PrintsSecond Floor
    Laila and Majnun at School: Page from the Khamsa of Nizami (Quintet of Nizami)
    A.H. 835 /1431–32 a.d.
    Artist: possibly Mir Khalil; calligrapher: Ja'far
    Herat, present-day Afghanistan
    Ink, opaque watercolors, and gold on paper
    Purchase, Lila Acheson Wallace Gift, 1994 (1994.232.4)
    Not on view
    Islamic ArtSecond Floor
    Vsevolod Mikhailovich Garshin (1855–1888)
    1884
    Ilia Efimovich Repin (Russian)
    Oil on canvas
    Gift of Humanities Fund Inc., 1972 (1972.145.2)
    Not on view
    Modern and Contemporary ArtSecond Floor

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