Georgia is a very colorful country, which is famous for the products of local craftsmen. They keep their techniques secret and create unique creations that tourists are happy to buy for themselves and as gifts. One of the varieties of enamel - minankari is sold not only in Tbilisi, but also in other cities. These are not just decorations, each of them is a real work of art, bright and unique.
History of appearance
Due to the geographical location of the country, Georgian art has been influenced by Eastern and European cultures. The heyday of art in Tbilisi dates back to the 19th century. At this time, ancient unique techniques underwent changes and received new trends. As a result, cloisonné enamel Minankari appeared, which glorified Georgia throughout the world. Such jewelry was previously highly valued among travelers. They attract the attention of many tourists even now.
The products are quite expensive, which is determined by the technique of their manufacture: the process cannot be mechanized, everything is done only by hand. Because of this, even a small piece of jewelry costs several thousand.
Advantages of Minankari jewelry:
- application for the production of precious metals - silver and gold;
- beautiful patterns with many small elements;
- bright shades;
- handmade guarantees the uniqueness of the products.
Due to numerous wars that took place in the country, many masterpieces of cloisonné enamel were lost. Those that have survived are incredibly expensive. More than 200 ancient objects using the Minankari technique are collected in the collection of the State Museum of Art. It is located in Tbilisi. Many creations are in private collections; their owners are in no hurry to part with their exhibits.
The most significant works
Cloisonné enamel in Georgia is more than just beautiful things made using special technology. From some works you can get an idea of the culture and life of people in certain historical periods. Among the significant works, it is worth noting the icon of the Khakhul Mother of God, the price of which cannot be measured in rubles. This fruit of manual labor combines the following techniques:
- gold coinage;
- jewelry making;
- cloisonne enamel.
It is difficult to say how much time the craftsman took for the manufacturing process, but the icon consists of 115 enamel elements of various sizes. The product turned out to be partially damaged by time; of the entire image of the Mother of God, only the face and hands remained intact. Tbilisi craftsmen contributed to modifying the icon; from the 7th to the 12th centuries, many gold and silver elements, as well as precious stones, were added.
This masterpiece still remains the largest piece of Georgian cloisonné enamel in the world.
Also, medallions were often made using this technology; the Russian painter Mikhail Botkin kept large quantities of such items. Now some of them are in the Hermitage, some of the Georgian jewelry has returned to their homeland. People with substantial incomes can buy such valuables for hundreds of thousands of rubles; purchases often break cost records. Enamel souvenirs are also not cheap, but their price is affordable for ordinary tourists in Tbilisi if they are not afraid to spend extra rubles on masterpieces.
Museum exhibits
Products with cloisonné enamel, gold and silver were previously found in Georgian monasteries and churches. Due to the fact that they were often plundered, robbed, and burned, many unique creations were lost. Surviving examples of rings, earrings, pendants, as well as icons made using this technique now adorn local museums. They are exhibited in the Hermitage and occupy a place of honor in private collections and in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Most of them were made between the 8th and 12th centuries, and the creations have not lost their beauty. Also, many works are dated to later periods - the 15th-17th centuries.
Application
Minankari is widely used to create a wide variety of products. Icons have been decorated with this technique for a long time. An example is the icon of the Tsilkan Mother of God, located in the Mtskheta Church.
Enamel jewelry is popular among tourists. They buy brooches, pendants, earrings, pendants with bright patterns. There are also more unusual works - for example, Christmas tree decorations decorated with minankari.
Features of applying minankari
Not all metals are coated with enamel. Minankari is most often applied to gold, copper or silver jewelry. Moreover, metals, especially silver, must be of the highest standard. Other alloys have not become widespread because the enamel coating on them does not adhere well or its color is greatly distorted during firing.
The enamel is fired in special kilns with thick walls, which are found in many houses in Georgia. The temperature in the middle reaches 800 degrees. At lower thermometer readings, the minankari will not harden.
The design on the product is formed by miniature silver partitions; enamel is poured into the middle of them. They keep paints from bleeding before and during firing. It's like a child's coloring book, except the outline is a thin silver thread bent into weird shapes and glued to the base.
First, the contours are filled with colorless enamel to create a base. It is fired, thus imparting strength and hardness. After this, a pattern is formed from silver wire and the cells are filled with pigments. Then the minankari is fired a second time.
Various products are made using the Minankari technique:
- icons, amulet;
- paintings;
- rings, earrings;
- bracelets;
- pendants, medallions.
Minankari is different in that natural paints are used for painting both earlier and now. To prepare them, natural stones are ground into powder. Due to this natural origin, during firing after painting, products with enamel change their colors. Copper jewelry undergoes the most changes. White colors on it turn yellow, and red colors acquire a brownish tint.
Georgian enamel is unique because no two pieces of jewelry are alike. This is another big plus. Minankari is made by hand; even now, taking into account technological progress, the products are not made in factories. Such masterpieces are created by masters with their own hands.
Execution technique
Enamel is applied to a workpiece made of gold, high-grade silver or copper. In the old days gold was more often used, now silver is used. Other metals and alloys are not suitable for performing the technique.
The master decides what colors he will use in his work. To do this, he uses a special palette with numbers. The fact is that when baked in the oven, the colors of the pigments will change - and to get the desired pattern, you have to rely on the numbers.
The jeweler applies transparent enamel to the prepared metal base and bakes it in the oven for a couple of minutes. Then he bends thin metal strips into the desired pattern and attaches it to the metal, distributes colors into the resulting cells and sends the product back to the oven. The operation is repeated until the layers of paint fill the mold to the brim.
After this, the master polishes the surface of the jewelry to a mirror shine. If the work is done conscientiously, the product turns out smooth, shiny, without protruding edges.
Where can you buy minankari in Georgia?
Everyone who has visited Georgia wants to buy something memorable, for example, jewelry. Cloisonne is one of the popular products among tourists and visitors from other countries. Earrings and rings, bracelets and pendants are all made of enamel by hand, therefore they evoke admiration and desire to be purchased as a gift. Moreover, silver is often used to make jewelry, which makes it especially beautiful. You can buy enamel jewelry in Tbilisi in the following places: the Ornament gallery, the gold market located at the station, and also at the market on the Dry Bridge.
National decorations
At all times, the fair half of humanity loved to wear jewelry. Nowadays it is customary to say that diamonds are girls' best friends. But not in Georgia. Local women have long appreciated the original Georgian minankari. Such decorations are very original and beautiful. They can be worn to a social event, birthday, friendly party or worn every day. And you simply can’t think of a better gift for a girl. Over many centuries, enamel art has reached certain heights. To this day, a huge number of showrooms and workshops operate in Georgia, where you can not only purchase a colored product, but also watch a whole master class on how to make it.
Modern enamels
Nowadays, a lot of jewelry is sold in Georgia, which is popular among tourists. Buying a bracelet for a woman or a ring is not a problem. Any girl will appreciate such a practical souvenir gift, especially if it is made using the cloisonne enamel technique. However, it is worth understanding that modern masters have gone far from their ancestors. Not only materials and technologies have changed, but also the enamel itself.
If ancient craftsmen covered products with a layer of paint from one to three millimeters, now the thickness of the enamel reaches only 0.5 mm. European enamels used in the work are designed for thin application. In the old days, exclusively natural minerals and materials were used to prepare colored coatings. But modern technologies dictate completely different conditions.
Cloisonne enamel
The nineteenth century saw a special rise in Georgian culture. It was during this period that unique ancient techniques were recreated and new ones developed. Progress has not bypassed the world-famous Georgian enamel technique, called cloisonné. Jewelry made in this style amazes with its bright beauty and sophistication.
It's hard to imagine, but the manufacturing method has remained unchanged for twelve centuries. Such jewelry can rightfully be called a work of art of Georgia. The cost of jewelry is not inferior to products with precious stones.
Cloisonne enamel is a complex and expensive enamel technique, which to this day cannot be mechanized. This is probably where its value and uniqueness lie. If technology could be mechanized, then jewelry would cease to be original and unique. Minanakari is an integral part of Georgian culture.
First products
It is worth noting that in earlier times, jewelry art developed only within the framework of the religious direction: painting of icons, temples, crosses and religious paraphernalia. And only in the sixteenth century did art go beyond the church and take on a secular character. Since art initially did not depart from religion, artists did not use complex abstractions. The ancient masters did not bother themselves with the imposition of halftones. They made their drawings brighter so that icons could be seen in dimly lit churches.
But time passed, and with the production of secular jewelry, the requirements for technology changed.
Instead of an afterword
Modern jewelry is not always diverse and unique. They, like other accessories, are subject to fashion trends. And yet, every woman dreams of having special jewelry at her disposal, even if not very precious. If you happen to visit Georgia, be sure to pay attention to enamel jewelry. By purchasing such a product, you will become the owner of a distinctive and original item that is not subject to changes in fashion trends. Bright jewelry will be the best addition to your look.
