Timeline
Key moments in the life and legacy of Niko Pirosmani.
Birth in Mirzaani
Niko Pirosmanashvili is born in the village of Mirzaani in Kakheti, eastern Georgia.
Life and Work in Tbilisi
Pirosmani moves to Tbilisi as a young man, working various jobs while beginning to paint signs and panels for taverns and shops.
Sign Painting and Tavern Commissions
Pirosmani earns his living primarily through commercial commissions: tavern signs, shop panels, and decorative works.
Major Artistic Period
Pirosmani produces his most celebrated works: the Giraffe, feast paintings, historical scenes, and portraits.
Death in Tbilisi
Pirosmani dies in poverty in Tbilisi on April 9, 1918. He is buried in an unmarked grave.
Rediscovery
Soviet scholars and artists rediscover Pirosmani's work. Exhibitions in Tbilisi and Moscow bring his paintings to wider attention.
Legacy in Georgian and International Art
Pirosmani is celebrated as Georgia's greatest painter. His works hang in major museums and continue to inspire worldwide.
