Komitas in Sargis Muradyan's Art

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Authors: Jenni Karapetyan
Cited by: 0

Abstract

The image of Komitas as a symbol of national identity, inner light and spirituality has been repeatedly reflected in various fields of Armenian literature and fine art. The purpose of this article is to present an art historical analysis of the image of Komitas, considering it on the basis of graphic and multidirectional examples created by Armenian artist Sarkis Muradian in different periods of his work, comparing them with the works of his other contemporary artists on the same topic. Thus, the interpretation of the image of Komitas in the art of Sargis Muradyan is not only one of the important pages of Armenian fine arts, but also a unique reliving of national historical and spiritual memory in the language of painting. The artist views Komitas as a symbol of loss, mental wound, but at the same time, spiritual resistance. His compositions are distinguished by their symbolic richness, psychological depth and color expressiveness, which turn into a unique visual story - a universal tragedy, but at the same time, a triumph of the creative spirit. Muradyan's Komitas series testifies not only to the clarity of the artist's creative ideas and aesthetic thinking, but also to the multi-layeredness of symbolic references in Armenian fine art and his mastery of the figurative language, the ability to transform historical evidence into an eternal symbol of art. Especially in the paintings "The Last Night. Komitas" and "Komitas. April 1915", Muradyan touches on the issues of spiritual disaster, creative silence and national memory with unprecedented depth. These works go beyond the field of painting, becoming symbolic responses to spiritual culture, national identity and historical consciousness.

Fields of Study & Subjects

History and Cultural Heritage Balkans: History Politics Society Byzantine Studies and History

Publication details

Journal / source
JOURNAL FOR ARMENIAN STUDIES
Volume
3
Issue
70
Pages
97–116
Publication date
7 January 2026