Date: 07 July 2020 – 30 June 2021

Museum: Museum of Georgia

Ammunition, memorials, paintings, sculptures of oriental deity and household Items - The Georgian National Museum presents the unknown collection of General Zurab Kobiashvili, held in Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia.

Because of his military service Zurab Kobiashvili (1864-1931) was often in Europe and eastern countries. He was an expert and appraiser of weapons. Over the years he created a rich collection of weaponry and oriental art (so-called "Buddhist collection"). In 1926 Georgian National Museum bought the collection, and as the commission of that time said "enriched the national treasure". In order to study the collection of weapons, the museum invited Zurab Kobiashvili as an employee, where he worked until his death.

The collection of ammunition includes 199 weapons of XVI-XIX centuries, from Georgia and Caucasia, Russia, Europe, middle and far eastern countries. The collection is rich, with both, in types of weapons and in its geographical range. It includes: Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Persian, Turkish, Mongolian, European, Russian, caucasian, Georgian and American weapons.

"The Buddhist Collection", includes the samples of ethnocultural of Indian and far eastern people, specifically, bronze ceramic and wooden images of Hindu and Buddhist deities, items for worship or household use. Zurab Kobiashvili was very familiar with oriental religious-philosophical teaching and had special interest for things related to it.

Among memorial items, were weapons of Giorgi Saakadze, Hadji Murat and General Nikoloz, son of Petre, Linchev; The sword of Zurab Kobiashvili, which he was presented by Dargoans in Dagestan during his military service (1904). Sward of Saam Kobiashvili (XVIII regional governor of Mtiuleti); Emin Girei XVI Century Helmet; parts of horse raft donated by Alexander Batonishvili (son of King Erekle the II ), (Batonishvili donated as a present to the Jandier family, where the grandmother of the collectioner brought as dowry back home) and other.

28 canvases preserved in painting collection belong to the first stage of Georgian painting - „From Georgia's accession to Russia till the XIX century 1970's". Each picture depicts a man or a woman dressed in national clothes. The main focus is on the clothes and accessories, including ammunition, jewelry, and household items. This paintings were created in one of the art studios in Tbilisi.

The exhibition of the diverse collection of Zurab Kobiashvili, will be presented, for the first time, for the general public.

The project is supported by Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia.

Address: Simon Janashia Georgian Museum, Shota Rustaveli Ave. 3