16 pages; illustrations, 15 cm. A copy with a damaged cover but very clean internally. A bilingual art exhibition catalog, edited by Kh. I. Giorgadze presented in both Georgian and Russian languages, and it is one of only 200 copies ever produced. Distinctively, this copy is inscribed and signed in Gerogian, presumably by one of the contributing artists, on the title page. As of April 2024, this edition is exceedingly rare, with only one other copy confirmed to exist, housed in the prestigious Princeton University Library. This book's scarcity and the signature it bears make it a prized addition for collectors and connoisseurs of Eastern European and particularly Georgian art. Shota Metreveli (1913-1983) and Margarita Metreveli (1913-1984) were eminent Georgian artists, celebrated for their contributions to 20th-century realist and socialist realism art movements. Born into humble beginnings-Shota in Borjomi to a manufacturer's family and Margarita in Tbilisi to a family of blacksmiths-the pair met in 1928, sparking a lifelong partnership both personally and professionally. Graduates of the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts under the tutelage of notable figures like Mose Toidze and Lado Gudiashvili, their careers flourished with numerous exhibitions across the Soviet Union. Their works, which varied from portraiture to historical themes, often reflected the ideological fervor of their times, focusing on themes like industrial progress and patriotic fervor. Both served as professors and were honored as Merited Artists of the Georgian SSR. Their legacy endures in state museums and private collections globally. The couple is interred together in Mukhatgverdi Cemetery near Tbilisi, leaving behind their son, Merab, a noted sculptor and artist.
