On the formation of modern Georgian artistic ceramics (Based on the works of Revaz Iashvili from the 1950s.)

Early original monuments of Georgian ceramics bear the imprint of the influence of leading world cultures. From the depths of centuries, the process of assimilation, rather than direct transfer, of progressive artistic tendencies is clearly visible. It was this ancient method that became fundamental and determined the formation of modern Georgian ceramics. This process began in the 1920s and is associated with the creation of the Department of Ceramics at the Sculpture Faculty of the Academy of Arts. Along with artistic objectives, great importance is attached to the extraction of local resources, as well as technological and technical research. At the same time, the restoration of traditions becomes necessary for the creation of ceramics with Georgian flavor. Therefore, artists are interested in studying archaeological and folk ceramics. This marked the beginning of the widespread use of red clay and the restoration of old technologies. In 1958, Rezo Iashvili continued the research of his teacher Zakro Maisuradze and revived the forgotten technology of black ceramics. A series of wine vessels created by R. Iashvili using this method won top awards at international exhibitions in a number of European countries, marking the beginning of the formation of the Georgian ceramic school of the 1960s–1970s.