The Georgian ethnography with dolls

by Natela Bichashvili

Natela Bichashvili is a professional graphic artist from Georgia. She was engaged in books and magazines decor and in a modeling, many years studied ethnography of Georgia. The fabrication of ethnographic dolls is her favorite activity, however. She is engaged in that almost 25 years. She has created many images of national (and not only national) dolls. Last 10 years she constructs dolls, which represent national costumes of the main and most known regions of Georgia. The dolls are constructed under the specification statements of Ivane Gavaxishvili, the Georgian ethnographer and historian.

The size of dolls is about 27 - 32 cm (11 - 13 ins). Their heads are made from papier-mache and painted, bodies are stuffed by cotton. The hair is made from spreads, wool, fur and other suitable materials. All costumes as much as possible are approximate to substantial national costumes and a little humor was added in appearance of the dolls. Each doll is "one of a kind", though the artist sells her works more than 10 years. Many dolls have appeared in different countries, as were executed by the orders.

You can see only a few works of Natela Bichashvili here. If you would like to see more, you can visit artist's own web site at http://bichashvili.narod.ru .

(Quelle: http://www.lartdoll.net/engl_part/magazine/Nbich/NBich_en.htm)