About a century ago, Armenian illuminated manuscripts attracted the attention of scholars and lovers of art. Since that time intensive studies of medieval Armenian art have been conducted. A unique historical panorama of the art of illumination in Armenia, embracing more than thirteen centuries has been given (the first surviving miniatures date from the VI-VII centuries, while the latest ones were created in the XIX century). The heritage of a number of miniature schools and their outstanding representatives has been studied; the significance of medieval Armenian paining in the history of world art has been revealed.Among the best examples of medieval Armenian illumination are those of the following two manuscripts: codex 7482 1 and 6305 2 of the Mashtots Matenadaran, Grigor Tatevatsi and Anonymous painter of Syunik having participated in their creation. The above-mentioned manuscripts have been created in Syunik, one of the largest regions in historical Armenia. Its eastern frontiers stretched to Artsakh; in the west, to Ayrarat and Vaspurakan; in the north, to Utik and Gugark, and in the south, to the Arax River. The significance of Syunik in respect to the spiritual treasures created there during various periods was not always on the same level. As regards the variety and significance of cultural values whose origin depends upon the general political and socio-economic situation of the country, the most interesting is the post-Arabic period (X-XI cc), which coincides with the rise and flourishing of the Syunik kingdom. Liberation from the Arab yoke and the political independence attained by number of Armenian feudal lords brought about long years of peace and favored the economic and cultural revival of the country. The monastery of Tatev became the center of this new life in the country. In the middle of the XIII century The orbelyans and the Proshyans managed tp improve their position in Syunik, secure privileges ans ensure peace in that region for some decades. While wave of migration swept over the various regions of Armenia, it was quite the contrary in Syunik. Refugees from other regions, robbed and plundered, moved to Syunik in the hope of safety.All that, in turn, created favorable conditions for the development of culture. During the XIII-XIV centuries, the creative activities of many skilled architects, sculptors, talented poets and painters, close to the Orbelyans and Proshyans, unfolded in the cultural centers of Syunik. That was the time when the remarkable Ayrivank with rock-cut churches, the Church of Stitakavor and Noravank were erected. Unprecedented development was noted in the art of relief decorations of secular and lay constructions with great diversity and beauty. New schools were opened. Among them the University of Gladzor was, which became the outstanding center of higher education for all Armenia. The universities of Tatev, Aprakounis and Hermon, which at the same time became well-known centers of manuscript writing and miniature painting, followed it. The origin and the initial period of blossoming of the Tatev center of science dated from the X-Xi centuries. Much valuable information on teaching at the University, the subjects taught at the various departments During Grigor Tatevatsis time, have been preserved. "… There were three departments in the monasteryof Tatev: at one of them a former singer taught religious music of such sweet-sounding melodies that pupils came to him from other towns, from all parts of the country. At the second, drawing and reproductions of scenes were taught, and at the third, religious books and scientific books of Antiquity were Studied, translated and interpreted…"Accepting this chronological evidence that a department of fine arts functioned at Tatev University, we may suppose that a considerable number of illuminated manuscripts were created there in the XIV-XV centuries and quite probably, Tatev had its own school of miniature painting. Unfortunately, it is impossible, at present, to give a complete picture of that school, as only very few of those manuscripts have survived. (The Matenadaran has codices 5303, 7482, 4019, 3104, 3955, 4164 and others.) Only three (5303, 4019, 7482) of those mentioned have sufficient material for research. The rest have only title pages and marginal illustrations. It may safety be said that the creative work at Tatev in the XIV-XV centuries was not free from the Gladzor influence, and furthermore, specific features of the art of Grigor Tatevatsy, headmaster of the University, were characteristic of most of the manuscripts illuminated at Tatev. Such qualities as monumentalize, expressive images, thickly satiated use of reds, blues, violets, profusion of ornaments, continued to exist till the XVI- XVII centuries in those miniature painting centers connected with Tatev.
Armenian Miniature, compiled by Alvida Mirzoyan,Yerevan, 1987, pp. 5–7.
