Anchiskhati

The Ancha Icon of the Savior (with doors) is a monument to Georgian goldsmithing and an important piece of medieval Georgian art. It is a triptych with a height of 146,5 cm and a width of 156 cm. Its parts have different dates and are made of gilded silver.

It was originally preserved in Ancha Monastery (Southern Georgia, historical Klarjeti), from where it derives its name. Later, the icon was in the possession of the Atabeg of Samtskhe. In the 17^th century, the icon was brought to Tbilisi and displayed in an old church, which was later named after the icon. Currently, it is preserved in the Georgian National Museum. The doors of the icon were created to preserve “the icon not made by hand” (105 x 71 cm).

The inscription on the icon provides information about its origin. Ornaments are a prominent feature and cover the majority of the frame. An elaborate leaf surrounded by triple circles is highly detailed and large in size.

Literature: ამირანაშვილი შ., ბექა ოპიზარი, თბ., 1956; ბერიძე ვ., ძველი ქართველი ოსტატები, თბ., 1967; საყვარელიძე თ., XIV – XIX საუკუნეების ქართული ოქრომჭედლობა, თბ., 1987.

R. Kenia