Baron de Baye

Baron de Baye (1853-1931),French scholar, historian, archeologist and public figure. His full name was Amuor August Joseph Bartlau Baron de Baye. He was born in Paris. Baron de Baye stands out among the French scholars, who acquainted the Western Europe with Georgian history, culture, literature. Baron de Baye has undertook several trips to Georgia. He first arrived in Georgia in 1897; he visited almost all regions of Eastern and Western Georgia. He made a careful study of Georgian traditions and its history and collected a great deal of ethnographic material. Upon returning home, he published a number of books: In Georgia (1898), To the South of the Caucasian Range (1899), To the North of the Caucasian Range (1899), Tbilisi (!900), In Imereti (1902), In Abkhazia (1904). The French scholar was attracted to Georgian legends; This interest is confirmed by his French translation of the legend The Earth Claims Its Right, which was incorporated in his book To the South of the Caucasian Range under the title The Beauty (separate edition – 1900).

This is how Baron de Baye writes about his impressions of Tbilisi: ‘You have to be an artist or a poet to paint the pictures of Tbilisi or glorify the spectacle, which is called Tbilisi’. The French scholar was captivated by Anchiskhati and Qashveti Churches, Sioni Temple of Holy Virgin and Mtatsminda. He was interested in the life of St. Nino, spiritual illuminator of Georgians (he continued the research in France as well). Baron de Baye had close relations with Georgian public figures: Eqvtime Takaishvili, Tedo Sakhokia, Alexandre Tsagareki, Davit Sarajishvili, artist Gigo Gabashvili and others. He had friendly ties with Ilia Chavchavadze. Upon his arrivals in Georgia, he frequently called on him. In his book In Imereti de Baye praises Akaki Tsereteli; he included the prosaic translations of Tsereteli’s poems in the book of the same name. Georgian public was happy to host the desired French guest. The periodicals of that time abounded with the articles describing Baron de Baye’s travels throughout Georgia.

Baron de Baye died in Paris.