Shota Rustaveli and Queen Tamar - Niko Pirosmani

A striking portrait by Georgian Naïve artist Niko Pirosmani, depicting the poet Shota Rustaveli and Queen Tamar in his signature graphic, icon-like style.

Niko Pirosmani, a self-taught Georgian painter, created this work on oilcloth, a material he frequently utilised due to its affordability and availability in the taverns of Tiflis. The composition depicts two figures of immense cultural weight in Georgian history: the medieval poet Shota Rustaveli and Queen Tamar. Pirosmani separates the two figures into distinct zones, a common device in his work to suggest narrative distance or separate spheres of existence.

Rustaveli is shown seated, engaged in the act of writing. He wears traditional attire, including a fur-trimmed cloak and pointed boots, with a quill in hand. Behind him hangs a banner featuring a mounted figure, which serves as a symbolic reference to his epic poem, The Knight in the Panther's Skin. Queen Tamar stands to the right, draped in a white gown and a crown, holding a scroll. Her posture is frontal and rigid, characteristic of Pirosmani's approach to human figures, which often appear as icons rather than realistic portraits.

The colour palette is restrained, relying on deep blacks, stark whites, and muted earth tones, with the red of the banner providing a singular point of visual contrast. Pirosmani's technique is direct and unrefined, lacking the traditional perspective or anatomical precision found in academic painting. Instead, he prioritises the clarity of the subject and the symbolic presence of the figures. The work reflects the artist's fascination with Georgian history and folklore, themes he returned to throughout his career. By painting on oilcloth, Pirosmani often left the background unpainted or minimally treated, allowing the dark surface to frame the subjects. This piece remains a primary example of his ability to transform local legends into singular, graphic images that possess a quiet, static power.