Kote Kvaliashvili (1906-1992)

Cinema and Theater Artist - Kote Kvaliashvili was born in 1906 in Baku. His family was originally from Gori though and returned to Georgia in 1918. Kvaliashvili received a stellar education in Tbilisi, taken under the wings of Moses Toidze and Valerian Sidamon-Eristavi.

He channeled his vast creativity into theater, cinema, and film studios. He applied his artistic touch to the Georgian films "Kajana," "Gyorgi Saakadze," and "Keto da Kote." He demonstrated a special touch with his decorative art in the famous movie "The Late Bride," which became popular. Kvaliashvili made an especially impressive contribution to the creation and success of the immortal comedy film "Keto and Kote," together with other talented artists who worked tirelessly on it. In addition to cinema and theater, Kvaliashvili's drew inspiration from the traditional life of his hometown.

Gori in The Works of Kote Kvaliashvili

His work reflected an old version of Gori preserved in the artist's memory, including its districts and historical monuments. His creativity continued to flourish in the 1950s and 1960s. In his graphic works, the artist’s skill was vivid. The portraits and landscapes of old Gori made in ink and pencil were not only very accurate but also full of artistic emotion. Kvaliashvili painted traditional holidays, official buildings, residential houses, peasants, representatives of high society walking on the street, fishermen swimming in rivers with fishing rods, and other scenes. Each of them bring us back to the soul of those Gori of the 1950s.

In his portraits, the artist was able to capture not only the exact features but also the spiritual mood of the individual, their feelings, and their emotions. His rhythmic alternation of strokes brought dynamism to these works, which is why his paintings remain moving and in many ways alive to this day.