Culture
Martvili monastery is one of the oldest cultural centres of western Georgia. Apart the late mural paintings of the XIX-XVII cc. there have been kept the fragments of the earlier epoch as well.
The post-Byzantine painting of the western narthex of Martvili church disclosing the theme of “The Last Judgment” includes the scene of “Escape from capture by St. George”. It was especially popular in Georgian art of the XII-XIII cc. The earliest examples of this rare scene of Orthodox Christian art are found in Georgian mural paintings of the XI-XII cc. However, it was disappeared after the features of Paleologue period art had gained its strenght in Georgian wall-decorations.
The composition of St. George killing the dragon accompained with figure of youth on the horseback reappeared in Georgian mural paintings and metalworks of the XVI-XVII cc. This might have been the reflection of the iconographic representation spread over the Greece, Balkan countries and the eastern Christian world from the XV c. As for the compositions of "Escape from capture by St. George", which was once particularly popular in Georgian wall-decorations, was reminiscenced in the Ilori metal icon of St. George (XVII c.) and Martvili mural painting (XVI c.). The latter could have been the result of the influence of the earlier mural painting of Martvili church (XII-XIII cc.).
Sh. Amiranashvili State Museum of Art