Akulis 1914

Martiros Sarian sketched Akulis with pencil on paper, offering us a glimpse into the soul of a place. The most striking motif here are the trees, stylized with geometric shapes, standing sentinel-like amidst the clustered buildings and rising mountains. These trees remind us of the ancient "Tree of Life," a symbol stretching back to Mesopotamian art and resonating across cultures. But look closer, and one sees how the geometry and simplification of the trees and the mountains point to a Modernist sensibility, abstracting the organic into something more essential, more eternal. Consider the collective memory embedded in landscape art. Sarian taps into a deep well of human experience, where the natural world is both a source of comfort and a reflection of our own inner states. The seemingly simple lines elicit a powerful emotional response, echoing a shared sense of place, belonging, and the enduring spirit of cultural identity. The symbol of the tree has been adapted, yet its psychological resonance endures.