Hakob Hovnatanyan ( hy, Հակոբ Մկրտումի Հովնաթանյան; 1806–1881) was an

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...

artist. He was a member of the Hovnatanyan family, a miniaturists dynasty from the 17th to the 19th centuries. Hacob Hovantanyan who was also called “The Raphael of Tiflis”, was the founder of the modern Armenian painting school and one of the masters in portraiture, illustration and miniature.

Life

Hakob Hovnatanyan was the fifth generation from the Hovnatanian family. He succeeded the patriarch of the family Naghash Hovnatan (1661–1722), a famous poet and painter. Naghash lived in Caucasus in the Safavid era. Hovnatanyan received his training from Mkrtum Hovnatanyan, his father, and painted the walls of some churches with his father in Armenia and Tiflis in his youth. His widespread fame began when he was awarded the golden medal from Saint Petersburg Art organization in 1841. After that, he was notably considered by Georgian media. His masterpieces were created from 1840 to 1850. He achieved an accomplished technique as a portraitist in this era and portraits of princes, the clergy and rich people were the main subjects of his works. Georgian-born Armenian film director

Sergei Parajanov Sergei Parajanov, ka, სერგო ფარაჯანოვი, uk, Сергій Параджанов (January 9, 1924 – July 20, 1990) was an Armenian filmmaker. Parajanov is regarded by film critics, film historians and filmmakers t ...

made a short art film about him in 1967 entitled ''Hakob Hovnatanyan''.

Moving to Iran

He became interested in Persian art in his late-life which was new for him and people in the Caucasus. He moved to

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

because of the recession in Tiflis and to acquire new experiences. He went to his daughter's home who lived in

Tabriz Tabriz ( fa, تبریز ; ) is a city in northwestern Iran, serving as the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. It is the List of largest cities of Iran, sixth-most-populous city in Iran. In the Quri Chay, Quru River valley in Iran's historic Aze ...

and after one year moved to

Tehran Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...

and went to

Naser al-Din Shah Naser al-Din Shah Qajar ( fa, ناصرالدین‌شاه قاجار; 16 July 1831 – 1 May 1896) was the fourth Shah of Qajar Iran from 5 September 1848 to 1 May 1896 when he was assassinated. He was the son of Mohammad Shah Qajar and Male ...

Qajar palace. Shortly after he was awarded a Courtesy title as an honorific scientific sign and also the name of Naghshbashi, which means master of painters. He stayed in Iran till his death in 1881 and he was buried in Saint George Church in Tehran

His masterpieces in Iran

Among of his works done in Iran two works are considered remarkable. The portrait of Ali Ibn Abi Talib and the portrait of

Naser al-Din Shah Qajar Naser al-Din Shah Qajar ( fa, ناصرالدین‌شاه قاجار; 16 July 1831 – 1 May 1896) was the fourth Shah of Qajar Iran from 5 September 1848 to 1 May 1896 when he was assassinated. He was the son of Mohammad Shah Qajar and Mal ...

Legacy

A crater on the planet Mercury is named after Hakob Hovnatanian.

Selected portraits

File:Hakob Hovnatanian -Naser al-Din Shah Qajar.jpg,

File:A. Hovnatanian. Captain Buchkiev. 1854.jpg, Captain M.B. Buchkiev (1854) File:Hovnatanian. Portrait of Mizandari. 19th century.jpg, Portrait of a Freemason File:Portrait of Natali Teumian (1830-40).jpg, Natali Teumian File:Овнатанян. Портрет Середина 19 в. Тбилиси, Музей искусств.jpg, Princess Melikishvili File:Портрет Караджана. 1830-1840-е гг. Акоп Овнатанян.jpg, Unidentified (Karagyan family?) File:Портрет Нерсеса Аштаракеци.А.Овнатанян.jpg, Nerses V File:Hakob Hovnatanian - Ali ibn Abi Talib.jpg, Ali ibn Abi Talib

Sources

Biography @ Armeniapedia
* http://library.thinkquest.org/C003796/gather/hhovnatanian.html {{DEFAULTSORT:Hovnatanian, Hakob Ethnic Armenian artists 1806 births 1881 deaths Emigrants from the Russian Empire to Iran Persian Armenians Iranian artists Ethnic Armenian painters