Niko Pirosmani

Niko Pirosmani was a Georgian primitivist painter. One of his specialties was painting directly into black oilcloth. Although his paintings had some local popularity his relationship with professional artists remained uneasy; making a living was always more important to him than aesthetic abstractions. Pirosmani’s paintings were influenced by the social conditions of his time and place. There are many works about merchants, shopkeepers, workmen, and noblemen groups. Pirosmanashvili was fond of nature and rural life. He rarely employed city landscapes. He made many animal paintings. He was the only Georgian animalist. Pirosmani also was attracted by historical figures and themes. Unlike other artists, Niko didn’t aim at a pure imitation of the nature and paid no attention to details. Some of his paintings are monochrome. His paintings demonstrate the author's sharp compositional consideration. Placements of the figures are frontal, while faces do not demonstrate a specific mood.