The plaquette entitled “Jesus” is one of the unique works by the Dagestani jeweler Manaba Magomedova. It is made in the technique of hot enamel painting in blue and white. This technique has been known since ancient times and substitutes the use of precious stones. The composition is framed along its perimeter by a row of granules, this technique, known as granulation, is used in Kubachi jewelry art. The granules can be gold, silver or platinum, and give the product a more complete and finished look.
The portrait “Jesus” has its own legend. According to the artist’s daughter, Manaba Magomedova had the idea of making a hot enamel portrait of the famous German master Albrecht Dürer. She put the enamel with his image on the plaque, but after firing in the oven she discovered that the enamel had spread and formed a cross over his head. She saw the face of Jesus Christ from the Shroud of Turin. Manaba Magomedova thought it was a miracle and gave her work a new title, “Jesus”.
The idea to make a portrait of Albrecht Dürer first occurred to Manaba Omarovna in the year of his 500th anniversary, when she received a personal invitation to an international exhibition of works of applied art. First she decided to send a copy of Dürer’s self-portrait, which is kept at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, to the exhibition. However, the artist soon abandoned the idea — a copy, even if created in an unusual technique, is not so interesting.
Manaba Magomedova had many attempts to find “her” Dürer. To create his portrait exactly as she imagined was a difficult task. The journey to this portrait took 13 years, it was difficult and complicated — Manaba Magomedova was looking for the right image in the biblical scenes of the Italian Renaissance masters and the biography of Albrecht Dürer. Having tried in vain, she appealed to heaven for a miracle, and the resulting portrait was not of the artist, but of the Savior.
Manaba Magomedova is the first female goldsmith in Dagestan, 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, Cavalier of the Order of Honor of Georgia.
The portrait “Jesus” has its own legend. According to the artist’s daughter, Manaba Magomedova had the idea of making a hot enamel portrait of the famous German master Albrecht Dürer. She put the enamel with his image on the plaque, but after firing in the oven she discovered that the enamel had spread and formed a cross over his head. She saw the face of Jesus Christ from the Shroud of Turin. Manaba Magomedova thought it was a miracle and gave her work a new title, “Jesus”.
The idea to make a portrait of Albrecht Dürer first occurred to Manaba Omarovna in the year of his 500th anniversary, when she received a personal invitation to an international exhibition of works of applied art. First she decided to send a copy of Dürer’s self-portrait, which is kept at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, to the exhibition. However, the artist soon abandoned the idea — a copy, even if created in an unusual technique, is not so interesting.
Manaba Magomedova had many attempts to find “her” Dürer. To create his portrait exactly as she imagined was a difficult task. The journey to this portrait took 13 years, it was difficult and complicated — Manaba Magomedova was looking for the right image in the biblical scenes of the Italian Renaissance masters and the biography of Albrecht Dürer. Having tried in vain, she appealed to heaven for a miracle, and the resulting portrait was not of the artist, but of the Savior.
Manaba Magomedova is the first female goldsmith in Dagestan, 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, Cavalier of the Order of Honor of Georgia.
