ARMENIAN BOOK ART OF THE "CHARENTS" ERA, 1928-1935

By Artur Avagyan

In the 1920s and especially in the 1930s, modern Armenian book art experienced a short but unprecedented boom. This efflorescence was largely connected with the publishing activities of the great poet, writer, translator, and luminary of Armenian literature, Yeghishe Charents (born Soghomonyan; 1897–1937), during the years 1928–1935, when he was heading the fiction department of the State Publishing House of Armenia (Pethrat). Charents enrolled already renowned artists such as Martiros Sarian (1880–1972) and Hakob Kojoyan (1883–1959), as well as the younger Tachat Khachvankyan (1896–1940) and Mikayel Arutchyan (1897–1961), among others, in book illustration and design. Together, these figures created an exceptional phenomenon of national culture that can be termed the “Charents book.” Historical circumstances, however, granted this phenomenon only a brief existence.

In 2022, two exhibitions were held in Yerevan, which complemented each other and showcased examples of the “Charents book.” These were the “Charents Book: Kojoyan, Khachvankyan, Arutchyan” (curated by Karen Balyan, Artur Avagyan, Yulia Potapova) at the M. Sarian House-Museum, and “Martiros Saryan: Book and Art” (curated by Haykuhi Sahakyan and Seda Khanjyan) at the National Gallery of Armenia. Both exhibitions generated great interest and were well-received by the public. Armenian Book Art of the “Charents Era”: 1928–1935 offers an overview of the works featured at those exhibitions. The text and images here represent a unified understanding of the “Charents book,” despite the notable differences in creative approaches and graphic styles.

155 pages

In English and Eastern Armenian; with color pictures

Antares (2024)