Zdanevich Kirill and Ilia
Zdanevich Kirill and Ilia (1892–1969 • 1894–1975), Zdanevich brothers – Kirill and Ilia – were descendants from the family of Polish immigrants, deported from Poland after the Polish uprising of 1863. Their father, Mikail Zdanevich, taught French language at the Tbilisi classical school №1; their mother, Valentina Gamkrelidze, was a pianist. Full credit must be given to Kirill and Ilia Zdanevichs for discovering and collecting Niko Pirosmani’s paintings.
Kirill: painter, graphic artist, art researcher. Honored Art Worker of Georgia (1969). Concurrently with his training at the Tbilisi classical school №1, he studied at the school of painting named after N. Sklifosovsky. In 1911, he continued his studies at the Petersburg Academy of Arts. In 1912, during his vacations in Tbilisi, Kirill and his brother Ilia, hosted French painter Michel Le-Dantieu, whom they took sightseeing around the city. On the wall of the tavern ‘Variag’, located on the Railway Station Square, they came across the paintings of an unknown artist. The painter turned out to be Niko Pirosmanashvili. They found him and made his acquaintance. Kirill started collecting Pirosmani’s works and in 1916, they arranged the first exhibition of Niko Pirosmani’s paintings at the house of the Zdanevichs. The exhibition included 50 works created by Pirosmani. Ilia was most active in organizing the display of the pictures painted by the self-taught artist. In 1926, together with Titsian Tabidze, Kirill published the first monograph on Niko Pirosmanashvili. He wrote a number of essays, articles and monographs (1963, 1964, 1965) about the self-educated Georgian painter. Kirill bequeathed his collection of Pirosmani paintings to the State Museum of Arts of Georgia. K. Zdanevich was actively engaged in the cultural life of Tbilisi. He worked as a scenic painter. He designed the productions directed by K. Marjanishvili. Kirill worked in the Tbilisi Opera Theater as well. He was the author of diverse paintings and graphics. He was keen on Futurism, Cubism, Impressionism, etc; however, he never lost his original manner of self-expression. In 1949, the Soviet authorities subjected him to repressions and exiled him to Vorkuta. In 1957 he was set free and he returned to Tbilisi.
Kirill Zdanevich died in Tbilisi. He was buried at Didube Pantheon.
Ilia (Iliazd): writer, artist, publicist, publisher, theoretician of Futuristic movement. In 1911 – 1917, he studied at the Petersburg University. Thanks to his brother Kirill and French artist M. LeDantieu, he got acquainted with Niko Pirosmanashvili, who painted Ilia’s portrait on his order. Along with Pirosmani’s Deer, Ilia exhibited this piece of work in Moscow, in order to acquaint the local elite with the newly discovered painter. Ilia published letters on Pirosmanashvili in the newspapers Zakavkazskaya rech and Vostok. (One of his first letters was dated by 1914). Ilia left for Paris in 1913, to master the art of painting. Impressed by Ilia’s stories about Niko Pirosmanash vili, Pablo Picasso drew an imaginary graphic portrait of the Georgian artist, which was included in the book by I. Zdanevich - Niko Pirosmanashvili, published in the French language (1914, 1972).
In 1917, Ilia participated in the expedition to Tao-Klarjeti, organized by E. Takaishvili; there he made measurements and sketches of Georgian architectural monuments. In 1921, these materials were exhibited at the Museum of Decorative Art in Paris. In 1921, Ilia moved to Paris and stayed there.
Ilia Zdanevich died in Paris. He was buried at the Georgian cemetery in Leuville.
