Saint George’s Day in Bolnisi (fragment) 1915

This is a fragment of Saint George’s Day in Bolnisi, painted by Niko Pirosmani, who lived in Georgia during a time of significant social and political change, including Russian imperialism. The scene shows what appears to be a feast. Pirosmani often depicted communal meals and celebrations, highlighting the rituals of Georgian life. The women at the table are wearing traditional headscarves, signaling their cultural identity and perhaps their religious affiliations in a region with diverse influences. Pirosmani was an outsider, living a life marked by poverty and often painting in exchange for food or lodging. His work offers a lens into the lives of ordinary people and is filled with nostalgia for a disappearing way of life. The figures in his paintings are not idealized but rendered with a directness that speaks to their humanity. Pirosmani’s work is a poignant reminder of the intersection between personal experience and cultural identity, capturing moments of shared humanity amidst larger historical forces.