The exhibition of one of the unique medieval Armenian woodcraft pieces, a wooden door leaf from an Armenian church dating back to 1188, has officially opened at the History Museum of Armenia.
The event was attended by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan; the Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports of the Republic of Armenia, Zhanna Andreasyan; the Mayor of Yerevan, Tigran Avinyan; and the Deputy Minister of Culture, Science, and Sports, Alfred Kocharyan.
This unique specimen, of great historical value, is being presented to the public for the first time, becoming an important addition to the museum’s permanent collection. The exhibit was acquired by the Government of the Republic of Armenia from the Sam Fogg Gallery in London, as part of the state program of the Ministry of Culture, Science, and Sports for the acquisition and transfer of cultural values to Armenia.
According to the Minister of Culture, Science and Sports, Zhanna Andreasyan, this is an important event that testifies to the state’s consistent policy. The Minister also emphasized that last year the state allocated more than 332 million drams for the acquisition of cultural values and the replenishment of museum collections. Four different museums were replenished with 11 values. In the coming days, the graphic work of Arshile Gorky will also be presented to the public, which will be exhibited at the National Gallery of Armenia. He also reminded that among the achievements of the previous year was the purchase of one of the important manuscripts for the Matenadaran.
According to Zhanna Andreasyan, the policy implemented in recent years shows that care for cultural values and their repatriation are widely accepted. She noted that the acquisition of this door is also the result of such cooperation. Information about it was provided by specialists in the field, Hamlet Petrosyan and Harutyun Khachatryan, and the state responded quickly by providing the necessary financing. According to Zhanna Andreasyan, this is a process of increasing the qualitative value of museum collections.
The Minister also emphasized that with this acquisition, the History Museum of Armenia becomes one of the centers with a valuable collection of similar wooden doors. She also drew the attention of those present to the second leaf of the exhibit, which is currently in Beirut. Zhanna Andreasyan emphasized the importance of the joint exhibition of the two leaf doors, emphasizing that Armenia can become a meeting place for cultural values.
For the acquisition of the exclusive Armenian cultural value sold at the London international auction and its transfer to Armenia, the Cultural Development Fund was allocated 175 million 360 thousand drams from the state budget reserve fund. This acquisition is an important step towards the return and preservation of the national cultural heritage.
This monument of medieval Christian art, of exceptional value, is carved from oriental walnut wood and is attributed to the woodcut tradition of the Bagratuni period, dating back to 1188. The exhibit’s iconography combines biblical and royal themes. The center of the composition depicts Daniel among the lions, and the lower parts depict various animal fights, comparable to the symbolism of Daniel’s vision (Dan. 7:1–7, 7:23–27).
The central part of the composition emphasizes the “winged” type of cross, adorned with flower buds and a fruitful symbol, which corresponds to the idea of the tree of life in Armenian church art. The art and expert community confirms the exceptional value and significance of the exhibit for the study of Armenian medieval culture.
The exhibition will open to the general public on April 3 at the History Museum of Armenia. It will be available to visitors, providing an opportunity to discover one of the unique examples of Armenian medieval art and learn about its historical and cultural significance.
