The most ancient Armenian miniatures date back to the 6th century.
The oldest specimens of the Armenian book ornamentation, vivid and various in style, are preserved from the 6th century. From the 10th-11th centuries unique miniatures of several anonymous authors have survived. Among them, Gospel of Echmiadzin (989), Gospel of Catholicos (10th century, found in 1977), Gospel of Moughni (11th century), Gospel of 1038, etc. The Gospel of Echmiadzin has an ivory binding with highly artistic incrustations and four miniatures of the 6th century.
Of the numerous Armenian schools of miniature of special importance are the schools of Ani - Haghbat, Gladzor, Van, Metsop, Tatev, Yerzenka, Carin - Erzirum, Crimea, etc., where the well - known medieval miniaturists Stepanos, Ignatios, Markareh, Grigor Tsaghkogh, Momik (13th-14th centuries), Avag, Hovhannes, Toros Taronatsi (14th century), Grigor Tatevatsi, Tserun Tsaghkogh (14th - 15th centuries), Grigoris, Vardan, Karapet, Manuel, Mikrtich Naghash, Toma Kafaetsi (15th century), Barsegh, Naghash Hovnatan, Ghazar Baberdtsi, Hakob Dzhughayetsi (17th century) , Teodoros Karnetsi and many others created.
The cilician school of miniature is of great importance in the history of Armenian book ornamentation. Among the Cilician centres, those of Hromkla (Toros Roslin, Vardan (13th century), Drazark (Grigor (13th century) and others), Skevra (Grigor Mlitshetsi (12th century) and others), Sis (Grigor Pitsak, Sargis Pitsak, Avag (14th century), etc., are especially noteworthy.
Toros Roslin is the most famous representative of the Cilician school. He is called 'predecessor of the Renaissance', 'virtuoso of ornamentation' by specialists. A strong aspiration to avoid the widely spread principles is obvious in his creations. He brings mundane elements to the biblical themes. There are scenes of hunt, fights between beasts in one manuscript, and pictures of chamois, lions, wild - boars, deers and other animals in another manuscript.
Another outstanding representative of the Cilician school of ornamentation is Sargis Pitsak. His self - portrait is preserved in one of the manuscripts of the Matenadaran. 18 manuscripts illustrated by Pitsak have survived.
Ornaments are especially characteristic to the Armenian miniatures. Of special interest are the ornaments of the vignettes, title - pages, titles of the chapters, initial letters and marginal ornaments. Besides their artistic value, the Armenian miniaturers are important sources in the study of the history of music, theatre, ethnography, handcrafts, agriculture, flora and fauna of the country.
The portraits of a number of historical characters, such as Grigor Narekatsi (10th century), Nerses Shnorhali (12th century), Mekhitar Heratsi (12th century), Sargis Pitsak (14th century), kings Levon 4th and Hetum (13th-14th centuries), Grigor Tatevatsi (14th century), Tserun Tsaghkogh (15th century), Supreme Patriarchs - Cathalicoses Eghiazar and Nahapet, Martiros Ghrimetsi (17th century) etc., are preserved in the miniatures.
There are manuscripts with miniatures in the foreign funds as well. Of great value are the miniatures in the Persian manuscripts of the period of Sefevi. Noteworthy is the work Golshaneh Afghani, written by Ali Akpar ibn Ghasem (17th century), ornamented with miniatures of high artistic value.
Of the numerous Armenian schools of miniature of special importance are the schools of Ani - Haghbat, Gladzor, Van, Metsop, Tatev, Yerzenka, Carin - Erzirum, Crimea, etc., where the well - known medieval miniaturists Stepanos, Ignatios, Markareh, Grigor Tsaghkogh, Momik (13th-14th centuries), Avag, Hovhannes, Toros Taronatsi (14th century), Grigor Tatevatsi, Tserun Tsaghkogh (14th - 15th centuries), Grigoris, Vardan, Karapet, Manuel, Mikrtich Naghash, Toma Kafaetsi (15th century), Barsegh, Naghash Hovnatan, Ghazar Baberdtsi, Hakob Dzhughayetsi (17th century) , Teodoros Karnetsi and many others created.
The cilician school of miniature is of great importance in the history of Armenian book ornamentation. Among the Cilician centres, those of Hromkla (Toros Roslin, Vardan (13th century), Drazark (Grigor (13th century) and others), Skevra (Grigor Mlitshetsi (12th century) and others), Sis (Grigor Pitsak, Sargis Pitsak, Avag (14th century), etc., are especially noteworthy.
Toros Roslin is the most famous representative of the Cilician school. He is called 'predecessor of the Renaissance', 'virtuoso of ornamentation' by specialists. A strong aspiration to avoid the widely spread principles is obvious in his creations. He brings mundane elements to the biblical themes. There are scenes of hunt, fights between beasts in one manuscript, and pictures of chamois, lions, wild - boars, deers and other animals in another manuscript.
Another outstanding representative of the Cilician school of ornamentation is Sargis Pitsak. His self - portrait is preserved in one of the manuscripts of the Matenadaran. 18 manuscripts illustrated by Pitsak have survived.
Ornaments are especially characteristic to the Armenian miniatures. Of special interest are the ornaments of the vignettes, title - pages, titles of the chapters, initial letters and marginal ornaments. Besides their artistic value, the Armenian miniaturers are important sources in the study of the history of music, theatre, ethnography, handcrafts, agriculture, flora and fauna of the country.
The portraits of a number of historical characters, such as Grigor Narekatsi (10th century), Nerses Shnorhali (12th century), Mekhitar Heratsi (12th century), Sargis Pitsak (14th century), kings Levon 4th and Hetum (13th-14th centuries), Grigor Tatevatsi (14th century), Tserun Tsaghkogh (15th century), Supreme Patriarchs - Cathalicoses Eghiazar and Nahapet, Martiros Ghrimetsi (17th century) etc., are preserved in the miniatures.
There are manuscripts with miniatures in the foreign funds as well. Of great value are the miniatures in the Persian manuscripts of the period of Sefevi. Noteworthy is the work Golshaneh Afghani, written by Ali Akpar ibn Ghasem (17th century), ornamented with miniatures of high artistic value.
