The library of the Academy was founded in 1924, two years after the establishment of the Georgian Academy of Fine Arts (now the Tbilisi State Academy of Art), on the initiative of the first rector of the Academy and renowned art historian GiorgiChubinashvili.
The book depository was originally filled with the illustrated deluxe editions and folioskept in the collections of the Library of the Noble Society of the Caucasus that used to be housed in the former palace of Arshakun. Later it received donations from the personal libraries of the Academy professors Gigo Gabashvili and HenrykHryniewski(the latter was executed in 1937). Some of the books areautographed and bear exlibrises by HenrykHryniewski, EleneAkhvlediani and others artists.
In the 1930s, in defiance of the committee set up in the Academy, as well as in other higher educations institutions, the sole purpose of which was todestroyideologically ‘harmful’ literature and select ‘proper’ books for the depository, the librarians managed to rescue the books donated by Hryniewskiand other ‘unneeded’ publications.
The library has several times changed its location. It used to be housed in the assembly and mirrored halls andlaterin what is now the Rector’s Office. At present, it is located on the ground floor of the Academy.
The library now keeps over thirty-five thousand books and albums about painting, artistic movements, fine and applied arts, design and architecture of different countries and different periods. It also stores fiction and reference books in different languages, including Georgian, French, German, Russian, Chinese and Persian. Apart from that, the library storesa variety of documents.
The library runs educational projects, and arranges exhibitions, competitions and meetings with authors in cooperation with local and foreign organisations. It also provides consultancy and supplies information and visual material to individuals and organisations, including artists and researchers from Georgia and abroad, and representatives of electronic and printed media.
The access to the library is not limited to the Academy students and staff. It is open to students of other educational institutions and interested persons.The library of the Academy was founded in 1924, two years after the establishment of the Georgian Academy of Fine Arts (now the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts), on the initiative of the first rector of the Academy and renowned art historian GiorgiChubinashvili.
The book depository was originally filled with the illustrated deluxe editions and folioskept in the collections of the Library of the Noble Society of the Caucasus that used to be housed in the former palace of Arshakun. Later it received donations from the personal libraries of the Academy professors Gigo Gabashvili and Henryk Hryniewski(the latter was executed in 1937). Some of the books areautographed and bear exlibrises by HenrykHryniewski, EleneAkhvlediani and others artists.
In the 1930s, in defiance of the committee set up in the Academy, as well as in other higher educations institutions, the sole purpose of which was todestroyideologically ‘harmful’ literature and select ‘proper’ books for the depository, the librarians managed to rescue the books donated by Hryniewskiand other ‘unneeded’ publications.
The library has several times changed its location. It used to be housed in the assembly and mirrored halls andlaterin what is now the Rector’s Office. At present, it is located on the ground floor of the Academy.
The library now keeps over thirty-five thousand books and albums about painting, artistic movements, fine and applied arts, design and architecture of different countries and different periods. It also stores fiction and reference books in different languages, including Georgian, French, German, Russian, Chinese and Persian. Apart from that, the library stores variety of documents.
The library runs educational projects, and arranges exhibitions, competitions and meetings with authors in cooperation with local and foreign organisations. It also provides consultancy and supplies information and visual material to individuals and organisations, including artists and researchers from Georgia and abroad, and representatives of electronic and printed media.
The access to the library is not limited to the Academy students and staff. It is open to students of other educational institutions and interested persons.