The feast of citizens in a forest 

Editor: This painting, “The Feast of Citizens in a Forest” by Niko Pirosmani, shows a group gathered around a table in what seems like a nighttime forest. The mood is quite solemn despite the gathering. The dark tones and simplified forms give it a striking, almost folk-art quality. What is your take on it? Curator: The painting's directness strikes me. Pirosmani often depicted everyday life, celebrations, and ordinary people, reflecting Georgia’s burgeoning national identity at the turn of the 20th century. Notice how he simplifies the forms and flattens the perspective. This isn't accidental. It deliberately avoids the conventions of academic painting popular at the time. Editor: So, you're saying it’s almost a rejection of established art practices? Curator: Exactly! Consider who was accessing and engaging with art at that time. Art was displayed in public houses to be enjoyed. The piece seems like a conscious attempt to create a visual language that resonates with ordinary people. The gathering around a feast speaks to shared experience and community bonds in Georgia's rapidly changing socio-economic landscape. Why do you think the artist depicted the bottles with visible names on the labels? Editor: Maybe he was trying to elevate everyday objects, suggesting importance in humble products of local labor and trade? Curator: Precisely! This invites a reconsideration of value - not just the market value assigned by art institutions but inherent value found within labor. It offers viewers from a working-class background recognition and dignity. What closing ideas do you have in viewing Pirosmani now? Editor: The way the painting reflects broader socio-political movements makes it far more interesting. Curator: Absolutely! Pirosmani's work acts as a cultural mirror. Considering it allows us to better understand art’s complex role.