The National Gallery of Armenia (NGA) is set to open an exhibition dedicated to the 200th birth anniversary of the world-famous seascape painter Hovhannes (Ivan) Aivazovsky on 15 September. The organizers of the exhibition assure the display will discover the famous artist in a new way.

The exhibition titled “Hovhannes Aivazovsky: Creation” features 52 paintings, 26 graphic works, 1 work of the decorative-applied art and 20 documentary materials, Arman Tsaturyan, Director of the National Gallery of Armenia told a news conference on Tuesday.

“We intend to exhibit those works by Aivazovsky which have not been on the permanent display previously. He is known as a seascape painter, however he has also created good graphic works, landscapes and sketches, which will be a big discovery for most of the visitors,” the director said.

The exhibition for the first time will display the prominent painting “Chaos: Creation of the World” from the collection of the Mekhitarist Congregation in Venice. The painting has been transported to capital city Yerevan with great difficulty, Mr. Tsaturyan said.

Naira Yeghiazaryan. Deputy Director of the Museum Management of the NGA, in her turn noted that Aivazovsky passed the painting to the pope of Rome as a gift in 1841. The pope later donated it to the Mekhitarist Congregation in 1901.

To note, the National Gallery of Armenia has the second largest collection of Aivazovsky’s paintings after Museum of Theodosius in the Crimea.

The exhibition will run until 15 July 2018.