The Easter egg is a symbol of Easter, the Resurrection of Christ. It is the oldest and most important holiday in the Christian tradition. Historically, the Easter egg was a metaphor for the Holy Sepulcher, in which eternal life is hidden, and the red color was a symbol of the Savior’s blood and power. According to Christian legend, the first person to whom Jesus appeared after the resurrection was His follower Mary Magdalene. She went to Rome to see Emperor Tiberius, presented him with a white egg and announced the Ascension of Christ. “The white egg would sooner turn red than a man would rise from the dead”, the emperor replied, and in the same instant the egg turned crimson.
The souvenir Easter egg is made by Manaba Magomedova, a famous Dagestani artist-jeweler from Kubachi village of goldsmiths. Manaba Omarovna is a winner of republican and international competitions, Honored Artist of Russia, People’s Artist of Georgia and Dagestan, member of the Union of Artists of the USSR, and Cavalier of the Order of Honor of Georgia. Her work is distinguished by authenticity, courage, spirituality and unconventional solutions.
Leyla Izabakarova, Manaba Magomedova’s younger daughter, collaborated on this work. The daughter of the artist and jeweler Kadyr Izabakarov, she grew up in Tbilisi, where Georgian monuments of world culture shaped her taste and artistic skills.
The Easter egg with a cross was created by mother and daughter jewelers in 1992, and after Manaba’s death, Leyla Izabakarova donated it to the Museum of the History of World Cultures and Religions. The Easter egg consists of two symmetric halves, painted with the famous Kubachi floral design “tutta nakyish”, which translates as a “branching pattern”. It has clear contours and consists of a stem with diverging sprouts.
All around the circumference of the egg, there is a play of contrasting colors, which create a special atmosphere. The egg is decorated with eight enamel inserts painted with traditional Georgian motifs and a cross, a symbol of Christianity. The piece is circumferentially framed by fine granules, which add a finishing touch to the work. The Easter egg is supported on an elegant base of three scrolls that blend harmoniously with the overall composition.
The souvenir Easter egg is made by Manaba Magomedova, a famous Dagestani artist-jeweler from Kubachi village of goldsmiths. Manaba Omarovna is a winner of republican and international competitions, Honored Artist of Russia, People’s Artist of Georgia and Dagestan, member of the Union of Artists of the USSR, and Cavalier of the Order of Honor of Georgia. Her work is distinguished by authenticity, courage, spirituality and unconventional solutions.
Leyla Izabakarova, Manaba Magomedova’s younger daughter, collaborated on this work. The daughter of the artist and jeweler Kadyr Izabakarov, she grew up in Tbilisi, where Georgian monuments of world culture shaped her taste and artistic skills.
The Easter egg with a cross was created by mother and daughter jewelers in 1992, and after Manaba’s death, Leyla Izabakarova donated it to the Museum of the History of World Cultures and Religions. The Easter egg consists of two symmetric halves, painted with the famous Kubachi floral design “tutta nakyish”, which translates as a “branching pattern”. It has clear contours and consists of a stem with diverging sprouts.
All around the circumference of the egg, there is a play of contrasting colors, which create a special atmosphere. The egg is decorated with eight enamel inserts painted with traditional Georgian motifs and a cross, a symbol of Christianity. The piece is circumferentially framed by fine granules, which add a finishing touch to the work. The Easter egg is supported on an elegant base of three scrolls that blend harmoniously with the overall composition.
