Jean-Baptiste Tavernier (1605 – 1689) was a 17th-century Flemish-French gem merchant and traveler who became famous for his accounts of six voyages to the east. Passionate about travelling, Tavernier started out on his first journey to the Ottoman Empire and Persia in 1631. He stayed in Constantinople for eleven months, waiting for a caravan that would...
Illustrations from “A voyage into the Levant” by Joseph Pitton de Tournefort (1656-1708)
Illustrations from a book made by the order of the French King: “Relation d’un voyage du Levant, fait par ordre du Roy”, translated: “A voyage into the Levant made by order of the King”. Some of these illustrations show Armenian cities and individuals within the Ottoman, Persian and Russian empires.
The Naghash Ensemble – Songs of Exile Vollume II – Kickstarter
The Naghash Ensemble of Armenia has recently started a kickstarter campaign to raise funds for the second volume of their ‘Songs of Exile’ album and book. I’m personally a huge fan of their art. Not only are they a great ensemble composed of outstanding musicians, but they are also creating something very unique. They are reinventing ancient Armenian music in...
Illustrations from Daredevils of Sassoun by Yervand Kochar 1939
These beautiful illustrations were created by Yervand Kochar in 1939 for the Armenian national epic “Daredevils of Sassoun“. Yervand Kochar was a prominent sculptor and artist of the twentieth century. He gained fame and recognition in Paris when he settled there in 1923 and invented a genre called “Painting in Space” (click the bar...
Beautiful illustrations of the Ruins of Ani from an old book (1861)
Bellow are illustrations of the ruins of the medieval Armenian capital city of Ani. The illustrations are from a 19th century French book titled “Ruins of Ani – Capital of Armenia under the Bagratid kings of the 10th and 11th centuries, History and description.” by Mr. Brosset (printed at the Imperial Academy of Sciences -1861). Ani became the capital city of the Armenian kingdom under...
Armenian Calligraphy Animation by Ruben Malayan
Armenian Calligraphy (Komitas Edit 2:30 min) by Ruben Malayan 2015 from Ruben Malayan on Vimeo.
Beautiful animation displaying Armenian Calligraphy, created by Ruben Malayan, music by Komitas. Ruben Malayan is an Armenian artist and designer who has devoted many years to studying ancient Armenian manuscripts and is perhaps personally responsible for the revival of the Armenian calligraphy art. I’ve been a huge fan of his work ever since I stumbled upon some...
Before Romeo and Juliet there was Khosrow and Shirin
So we’ve all heard the Shakespearean love tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, but how many in the western world are familiar with the ‘most beautiful love story ever written’ in Persian literature; Khosrow and Shirin (also known as Shirin and Farhad)? The story of Shirin and Khosrow is one of the most popular ancient stories in the middle...
Armenian Queens of Jerusalem
It’s no secret that the Armenian kingdom in Cilicia was instrumental for the Crusades. The Crusaders were welcomed in Armenia perhaps more than in any other place at the time. Pope Gregory XIII in his Ecclesia Romana attested to this by writing: “Among the good deeds which the Armenian people has done towards the church...
Armenian Massacres reported in Dutch Newspaper 05-28-1915
A Dutch newspaper “Nieuwe Tilburgsche Courant” has reported on the Armenian massacres with two articles in their 05-28-1915 edition as follows: English Translation: Prosecution of Christians in Armenia. The British press bureau has announced the following: The British government along with that of France and Russia have made the following public announcement: During the past month, the Kurds...
