Garni 1934

Yeghishe Tadevosyan captured Garni in 1934 with oil on canvas, presenting the ruins of an ancient temple. The repetitive, ascending steps serve not only as a pathway but also as a symbolic ladder. Stairs, historically, appear in dreams, myths, and art across cultures. Think of Jacob’s Ladder, connecting heaven and earth, or the stairways in Piranesi’s architectural fantasies, leading to nowhere, evoking feelings of ascent and descent, hope and despair. Here, these weathered steps, set against the backdrop of a crumbling temple, echo a similar sentiment. They suggest a climb toward understanding, yet the ruined structure indicates the fragility of human achievement, reminding us of the cyclical nature of civilization. This prompts us to reflect on memory and the echoes of the past.