Interview with Gotscha Lagidse / Europian Blades Mag. by Bas Martens

Young Gotscha was fascinated early on in his life with his current field of expertise. At the age of fourteen he began to forge chain mail. The wire he needed, he pulled out of the tires of old trucks which would otherwise be burned by the construction workers during the winter to keep them warm. In 1986, Gotscha began a study in Georgian armour. He made himself a complete suit of armour, wrote an article about it, and worked for two years in an open-air museum following his formal education as an electrical engineer.
When the Soviet Union disintegrated Georgia became independent. It was a difficult time and in the early ninety’s Gotscha left for the Netherlands. His choice to move there was for a simple reason: at the end of World War II, his family members fought in the uprising of the Georgians against the Germans on the island of Texel. In April 1945, the Georgian Wehrmacht soldiers, who were stationed on the island, revolted against the Germans. Out of the eight hundred Georgians at least 565 were killed, in addition to the 120 civilians and the more than eight-hundred Germans. To this day, some Georgians travel to Texel to commemorate the victims annually. In that sense, the Netherlands was known to Gotscha but to get to work there proved difficult.
The first step on his road to fame came with the display of Gotscha's Georgian suit of armour in the ‘Juttersmuseum’ on Texel, during an exhibition on the Georgian revolt. The armour was seen by people from the Dutch Army Museum. Gotscha was invited to an open doors day at the museum to give a demonstration in the crafting of a coat of mail; wherein each ring was flattened and forged separately, per the proper historical fashion. His talent for perfection attracted the attention of the chief curator Jan Piet Puype, who had been looking for someone to craft a historically accurate suit of armour for the museum for years.
 
Maurits

Eventually, Gotscha was asked by the Army Museum to make a replica of the armour of Prince Maurits of Nassau. The original – from around 1590 – had been presented by Maurits himself in 1595 as a gift to Archduke Ferdinand of Tyrol, who was an avid collector of royal arms and armour. Today, it is exhibited in the Hofjagd- und Rüstkammer of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. The Dutch Army Museum received the harness on loan and was granted the exceptional opportunity to dismantle it for study and the taking of measurements. The museum was still cautious however in proceeding. Gotscha’s contract at the time was then divided into four parts: helmet, chest and back plate, arm plates and leg armour. Officially, each section had to be approved before the next part of the contract was granted.
Gotscha made the replica in 1997 and it was a masterpiece made up of: 177 separate sheet metal parts, both cold- and hot- forged; polished; flame-blued and partly lined with leather; and about 800 plated and non-plated fixings. It consisted of more than 1900 hours of work, excluding the research. It was a sculpture of metal and firmly established Gotscha's reputation in the Dutch museum world.
Quickly afterwards Gotscha received several major orders. The well-known collector Henk Visser ordered a helmet and a pair of gloves to be crafted, modelled after the armour of Maurits in addition to a miniature of the complete suit of armour. Gotscha made a pikeman’s cuirass for the Army Museum in 2002/2003, and a children's suit of armour modelled after that of Prince Maurits for the Army Museum in 2004.
The recommendations from the Netherlands Institute for Cultural Heritage and these museums ensured he received Dutch citizenship, "based on his specific expertise, the historic metalwork”.
In the meantime, Gotscha focused on the restoration of antiques, edged weapons and armour. Restoration work brings Gotscha his livelihood. But in addition, he works incessantly on his passion: edged weapons, and especially historical swords. He makes only one or two swords per year but they are all special and precious specimens.

Collaboration

With these bladed weapons, Gotscha likes to work with blacksmiths and engravers, mostly from Georgia, who provide an equally high quality of work as he himself does. Gotscha always does the design, metalwork, assembly and finishing but, for example, he does not forge damask. Gotscha's ‘employees’ are always recognizable. In addition to his own maker's mark (the letters G and L in Georgian characters within an oval) you can also find the marks of the damask maker or engraver - a sympathetic gesture which is rarely seen among other blade makers.
Gotscha’s blades are made in a traditional style but they are not replicas. They are inspired by historical example from South Asia and the Middle East. As always there is an exception. In 2009 Gotscha made a replica of the Shamshir (a classic Persian sword) modelled after that of the Georgian king Erekle II Bagrationi (1720-1798) whose original is in the Georgian National Museum in Tbilisi. A tribute to the history of his homeland. For despite his Dutch nationality, Georgia continues to be his great source of inspiration.
Gotscha is still full of plans and ideas. Notably, on his ‘wish list’ is a historically accurate reconstruction of the suit of armour William of Orange owned. Meanwhile, he can still marvel at the turn his life has taken. "I'm not really religious," he says, "but I think it is the work of God that I am here in the Netherlands. I came here without family, without friends, without work. How could I have been so lucky?"

Far more than we can show here can be found at Gotscha's website www.gotscha.nl

The first assignments to Georgia under the TRQN II project took place in September-October 2009.

IOM Georgia, Oktober 2009

Gocha Laghidze is an experienced Georgian armourer and restorer currently living in the Netherlands. He was one of the first persons who visited Georgia as part of the TRQN II project. Gocha was hosted by the Georgian National Museum. During his one month assignment, Gocha introduced to the staff of the museum some new techniques used in Europe, and helped the museum with the restoration of several valuable objects kept in its repositories. The restoration included the sword of the King Erekle II, a precious historical relic that required urgent treatment. On 25 September, Gocha Laghidze delivered a presentation in the auditorium of the National Museum where he spoke about his cooperation with the European museums as well as the results of his work in Georgia. The presentation attracted a wide audience and elicited considerable interest among the experts in this field. Gocha’s contribution was received with great appreciation and recognition by the National Museum and other people who had pleasure to work with such a master and a committed supporter of Georgia.

Art without borders

The Messenger, Tbilisi, 24 juni 2005, By Nino Kopaleishvili

Georgian goldsmith Gotscha Lagidze is one of those artists who believe that art does not have borders. Having worked on traditional Georgian weapons and armor since he was a teenager, Lagidze reproduced a suit of armor that belonged to Prince Maurits of Nassau in 1998 for the Delft Royal Netherlands Army and Arms Museum. Calling it his "favorite work," Lagidze keeps another masterpiece of Prince Maurits at his delightful Dutch-style house in Roosendaal, in the south of the Netherlands. Lagidze has been living in the Netherlands since 1994 with his wife Lela and three children Giorgi, 17, Lasha, 15, and Sophia, 9. Lagidze has been cooperating with different museums in the Netherlands over the years and in 2003 he made a reproduction of the chain mail of Jan van Schaffelaar, Holland's national hero from the 15th century. "The work on it continued for three-four years. To help raise funds, it was decided to make the armor in the style that St. George dressed. It was important not to violate historical rules," he states.

In 1999 Lagidze received first prize at the international forum in Luxembourg for modern art in steel. "I took my miniature to the forum before it was completed. The event was really important," he said.

In addition to working on different projects Lagidze also teaches at Amsterdam State University. However, he admits there are not many students who are interested in work on steel, mainly for commercial reasons.

"Such things are difficult to do and this art is disappearing gradually," he says. "But it is such an intellectual discipline." Now he plans to try his hand in other fields more available to public. "Now I am designing street lamps which are for the public. The first ten copies will be produced soon," he says.

Chain mail of the famous Georgian King

Earlier this year, Lagidze received an offer from the Georgian playwright Dato Turashvili to design chain mail for a film about Georgia's famous king Davit Aghmashenebeli. "Probably I will travel to Tbilisi. It is important to do it in Tbilisi," he says. "The chain mail of Davit Aghmashenebeli is not on a fresco. That is why I want to do it not only for the movie, but for a museum." His love for designing old war equipment exists hand in hand with his love of Georgian history. He was particularly interested in Khevsurian armor and often traveled to the region to study this equipment in the years 1985-88. "Everything started from my teacher Juansher Jurkhadze, who taught me history," he says.

"Once I had a knife that I made myself. He took it and said it was no good. The next day he presented me with a little sword," he said. Later, Lagidze happened to visit his teacher's home and was amazed at the collection of old Georgian equipments.

"I decided to do steel chain mail and I did it ... probably this man got me on the right track," he adds.

Looking back to his home country

"Georgia is my home country and nothing can change that," says Lagidze, adding, however, that there are many things in Dutch society that he would like to see transferred to Georgia. Lagidze and his family often watch Georgian television channels and search for news on the internet about Georgia. "I am sympathetically disposed to the events taking place in the country now. We are happy about all the good changes happening in my country," he declares. Lagidze, who participated in the two civil wars in the 1990s in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, says that the defeat was the final straw which drove him to leave the country.

"Defeat in Abkhazia was a great disappointment and this became one of the reasons why I left Georgia," he says. "In my opinion there was certainly a mistake as this should not have happened but I do not know how it started."

Several months ago, Lagidze, who is now a citizen of the Netherlands, applied for dual citizenship and hopes to become a citizen of Georgia again.

"I really want to get it, but I am trying not to think what the answer will be," he said.

The forger of iron and steel

The World of Constant Connection - Informational and Scientific Magazine, 3 (23) 2004, By Nino Chichinadze

Georgia and Medieval Holland – on the face of it, these two countries seem to have nothing in common. However, it is the art of our country-man – Gotscha Lagidse that has revived several pages of the medieval history of Holland. How did he manage to do that? Gotscha, who has been living and working in Holland since 1994, has created the armour of the heroes of this country. Gotscha Lagidse’s creative work is difficult to define in one word, that is to attribute it to one specific field, because his activity combines art, historic and technological research, complicated and labour intensive metal-working, as well as precise artistic flair. However, if not for the artist’s tremendous love and his “subtle perception” of the past, we would be left only with a dry and mechanical copy of the combination of the aforementioned components. History per se – the past of one country or another – that forms the basis of self-consciousness and particular pride of a nation, is, on the one hand, an extremely attractive source of inspiration for an artist, which, on the other hand, requires a huge responsibility. This is particularly true when his creative work has to do with the past of another country. Gotscha has successfully handled this difficult task. This has been evidenced, above all, by the orders of the most prestigious museums and publications in the press of these European countries. However, it was a long path of study, cognition, reflection, comprehension and, of course, mastery of forging and other most complicated techniques and technologies of metalworking that preceded such recognition of his creative art in Western Europe. The perception of the history of one’s homeland and love of one’s motherland is peculiar to each individual and is manifested in various forms. For Gotscha this is the revival of the armour of his ancestors – the hero warriors of the past. It is probably very unlikely to find a boy who has not “battled” in his childhood holding a wooden sword in his hand or “waged war against the enemy” with his toy soldiers. For Gotscha Lagidse this passion has become his life’s work.

A young Georgian man first showed interest in this strange and rare scope of activity – the fighting equipment of the knights of the past centuries when he was a schoolboy. It was at the age of 14 when assisted by his pedagogue, a history teacher Juansher Jurkhadze, that Gotscha created his first work – Gudamakarian “khabalakhi” (a warrior’s helmet with woven steel chains). It was this very teacher of history who “infected” a student of the Komarov mathematical school with this interesting and romantic field. During his studies at the Georgian Polytechnic Institute, he keenly familiarized himself with our ancestors’ ammunition. In 1985-89 he restored a Khevsurian war helmet, a hauberk (a chain mail), metal plates protecting the arm, iron gloves, a shoulder-strap, a shield and sword. The following figures give an idea of the complexities and labour intensiveness of this task: the chain mail is made up of 56,000 small rings where each ring is prepared by means of a cold hammering technique. Each ring is linked to four other rings. It took Gotscha two months to create this ring-armour using 9 kilograms of steel material. In 1988 a Georgian television film “A Shirt of Mail” acquainted Georgian viewers with Gotscha Lagidse’s creative work. The same year, the Artists’ Union of Georgia conferred on him the title People’s artist of Georgia. From the end of 1980s the scope of this activity expands: on Zurab Tsereteli’s personal order he creates a number of monumental works, starts to work as a metal restorer at the State Ethnographical Museum of Architecture and Culture named after Academician G.Chitaia and takes active part in exhibition.

The ammunition of the heroes of the Middle Ages, created by the artist in Holland, became a landmark in Gotscha Lagidse’s work. For 10 years the Royal Netherlands Army Museum in the city of Delft was unsuccessfully looking for an artist who would be capable of making a copy of the armour of a national hero of the 16^th-17^th centuries – Maurice of Orange (1567-1625), the Count of Nassau and it was to our countryman – Gotscha Lagidse, that the specialists entrusted this responsible task. Creating a western knight’s armour has been Gotscha’s dream for a very long time.

Maurice of Orange was a famous statesman, a commander in-chief and an army reformer. Like his father – Wilhelm I of Orange, he fought against the Spaniards. A magnificent victory in this war marked the liberation of the Netherlands from Spain. Prince Maurice’s only surviving suit of armour was made in 1590 and is kept in the Vienna Art History Museum. The Prince himself had handed it over to the Catholic Bishop of Austria and the armour represents a valuable relic. Due to the fact that it was not possible to return this historical relic to the Prince’s homeland, a decision was taken to make a copy. It took the Georgian master 400 hours to accomplish the preparatory works and 1,600 hours to create the ammunition itself. According to Gocha’s description, the ammunition is extremely elegant and its quality equals royal standards. The helmet and armour are bullet-proof. The suit of armour is made of 169 plates of different sizes and thickness. The plates are fitted to one another by forging and fixed by approximately 600 details. The initial colour of the original is unknown but after special research it was decided to have the replica painted dark blue. The result of the work aroused a storm of delight in everyone. Gilded details handsomely adorn the blue sheen of the perfectly executed copy.

For Gotscha it was the first attempt to create a life-size west European suit of armour. His preceding works ware represented by miniature models. In an interview to al local newspaper, he said that he found the preparation of the helmet particularly difficult because its shapes and details had to be highly precise.

Gotscha’s next work is associated with the name of another hero of the Netherlands – Jan van Schaffelaar. In this case the artist had more difficult task to cope with. The thing is that five centuries the interest in this hero had not diminished in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, Van Schaffelaars armour has not survived. He is the hero of many novels, poems, works of art and, naturally, research works and, therefore, it was a common desire to have his armour displayed in his country’s museum. “He is a real commander, he wears a helmet on his head and his body is completely covered with armour” – this is how the chronicle about Van Schaffelaar describes him. Following extensive discussions and long consultations, a decision was made to create armour similar to that depicted on Friedrich Herlin’s painting “The Miracle of St. George”, which dates back to 140 and is kept at historical museum of the city of Nordlingen. The presentation of this work, executed by Gotscha Lagidse, took place in the spring of 2004. Along with Gotscha’s talent and zeal, such success could perhaps also be attributed to the artist’s chivalrous soul and romantic nature.

To have a clear idea of Gotscha Lagidse’s activity, it is certainly worthwhile to refer this original jewellery – a peculiar “collection” of ladybirds and other insects. This is what the master says himself: “I am fascinated by coats of mail and armour – real arming of the warriors; but don’t ladybirds and turtles also protect themselves with their own “armour” – their shells and testa? I think that everything has cuirass – some are visible and others – invisible.” Silver, copper and iron ladybirds differ by the manner of execution. One can feel a special love of nature in these works and the artist attitude to them is manifested in the names given to them by their creator: “Picasso”, “Ladybird on ice” and others. “At first I hesitated – I was not certain whether the name was chosen by me for my adorable ladybird was acceptable. Later on, however, when I saw Picasso Citroen cars in the streets, I thought I had full authority to do so.” A contemporary design, fine workmanship, artistic mastery of them form material imparts these works with exceptional charm.

It has been almost decade since Gotscha’s artistic works have beautified the galleries and museums of Holland, Luxembourg and Germany. In 1999 his artistic miniature “Maurice” was recognized as the best exhibit of the International Modern Art Exhibition organized by UNESCO and the Luxembourg Ministry of Culture. The Georgian master shares his workmanship and love of his art with interested audiences at lectures and seminars, concurrently continuing his restoration activity.

As far back as 28 centuries ago, one of the inscriptions of the Assyrian King, Sargon the Great (714 B.C.) contains a description of the trophy seized during his invasion of the Caucasus. A host of precious metal artefacts ‘‘from the land of Tubals’’ (golden and silver bowls, mugs, jugs and vases) including gilded swords made by ancestors of the Georgians are noted in particular. It goes without saying that the trophy of the ruler of the richest of the eastern empire would contain only articles distinguished by high craftsmanship. The richest artistic tradition of Georgian metalworking that belongs to Antiquity and the Middle Ages, has been enjoying world recognition for many years. If in the distant past, Caucasian metal objects aroused the interest of eastern monarchs, today it is Western Europe that is enchanted by the works of the Georgian master. Gotscha Lagidse’s creative activity is yet further proof that the refined art of metal forgery, which has flourished on Georgian territory, still exists, develops, peculiarly transforms during the new époque and is distinctly heard in the polyphony of contemporary art.

Gotscha Lagidse makes statue of Dutch hero Jan van Schaffelaar 

Exhibition at Nairac Museum in Barneveld, by Drs. Priscilla van Leeuwen. Barneveld, 12 May 2004

Gotscha Lagidse is a Georgian artist and armourer who has been living and working in Holland for the past ten years. He has made a beautiful statue for the 15^th century Dutch hero Jan van Schaffelaar. The statue was commanded by the Nairac Museum in Barneveld, a bustling market place in the centre of Holland .

In Dutch history one period – between approximately 1350 and the end of the 15^th century – is known as the ‘war between the Hoeken and the Kabeljauwen’ (the Hooks and the Codfishes). Both parties were composed of often changing factions of noblemen and towns in Holland and Zealand. Jan van Schaffelaar was a landowner, a squire of no great importance or wealth. He was probably in the service of Maximilan of Austria, so he belonged to the party of the Kabeljauwen. His small army consisted of about 20 cavalary men. They were instructed to intercept the food transports on their way to the beleaguered town of Utrecht, which was in the hands of the Hoeken. On the sixteenth day of July 1482 a certain number of horsemen, coming from Roosendaal, captured the tower and church of Barneveld. Soldiers form the neighbouring towns of Amersfoort and Nijkerk besieged the church tower were Jan and his men had taken refuge. The soldiers – Hoeken – on the ground demanded that they throw Van Schaffelaar from the tower. To this Jan replied: ‘Beloved men, one day I have to die anyway; I don not want to cause you any trouble’. He climbed onto the battlements of the tower, raised his arms aloft and jumped. He survived the fall but was killed by his enemies.

This minor episode in the long guerrilla warfare was mentioned in a chronicle of that time. His deed of self-sacrifice so spoke to the imagination that during the following centuries he became a well-known hero.

The small museum Nairac is situated in the centre of Barneveld, at the foot of the church tower from which Jan van Schaffelaar leaped to his death. As Jan left nothing behind but the story of his heroic deed the museum has to recreate his story with pictures, weapons from the period or replica’s. The curator wanted to illustrate the story with a type of armour that Jan van Schaffelaar could have worn. As there was no original late 15^th century armour available the museum wanted to have a historically correct new armour made.

Through a newspaper article attention was drawn to Georgian-born and raised Gotscha Lagidse. He was already well known in his own country and was now making a name for himself in Holland. He had already made a replica of the armour of  Maurits, prince of Orange, and the head of the new Dutch Republic in the 17^th century. The original is in the Museum in Vienna.

As a model for the armour a beautiful painting by Friedrich Herlin, c.1460, was chosen depicting St. George and the dragon. The knight in the painting is wearing a fine example of the best quality armour worn at the time. It is in what is know ‘Italian export’ style. This style of armour was made by Italian armourers, with Germanic and northwest European features incorporated, to suit their clients. This armour style was popular throughout Northern Europe, even as far as England.

Show Piece

Exhibition at Bremmer Gallery in Tilburg, Newspaper article (Brabants Dagblad, Visual Art), by A.K. Beekman, 7^th September 2000. (translation)

"Picasso is the name of this Ladybird. It is one of my favourite pieces. This name came to me whilst I was making it. So it is more a kind of feeling. It is true that Picasso is my favourite artist. Like me, he has worked in many styles. This ladybird also means a new style for me. Indeed, I have hesitated for a moment if it would be right to call it after Picasso, but when I saw that Citroën Picasso driving around, I knew for sure it would be all right. I love ladybirds. I have a special relationship with nature and the ladybird is the protector of flowers and plants; a very courageous creature.

In 1994 I came to the Netherlands. Georgia is my mother country. There the ladybird is called Chia-Maia. Like ladybird (in Dutch: lieveheersbeestje = creature of our Lord) a very beautiful name. When people in Georgia have lost something they also call out to the ladybirds. Then they help to search for it. As a child I was already in love with them. It is a very beautiful, kind and good creature.

Apart from the ladybird the exhibition also shows suits of armour. I am fascinated by armour — real suits of armour, but a ladybird or a tortoise also has one. All those are visible armours. But I think everything has a suit of armour, sometimes visible and sometimes invisible.

Four years ago for the first time I made a ladybird. Now I have ten in total. They all look different and they all have a different name. For example there is one called "Ladybird on ice". I also used various different materials for these bugs: silver, copper, brass and iron. For Picasso I used iron and silver. It is my favorite, for it is the best one from the series. Also, each one should be better than the last.

The ladybird has been made with much skill, yes. But for me the technique is really of secondary importance. I conceive of a design in my mind and see it before my eyes. Then I just make it."

Quality mark

An article from ‘Metaalschrift’, no. 2, 2000. Ed. OOM and O+A, by L.Knoop. (translation)

As a school child Gotscha Lagidse (34) had his fantasies about his motherland Georgia and Persian or Turkish troops, especially about the shining armoury. By order of the Delfts Army Museum Gotscha copied a cavalry suit of armour of prince Maurits.

Gotscha copied Maurits’ suit of armour in his workshop in Den Bosch. When the Army Museum hosted the original from Vienna in 1998, Gotscha came to Delft ten times to measure and photograph all parts of the suit of armour. Then he ordered sheet metal in various thicknesses. Not stainless steel, for that was unknown in the 16^th century. But Gotscha did ‘blue’ the steel, with a burner.

Musket bullet: It took a year of thinking and working to the millimetre, but Gotscha forged a perfect replica. RTL5 filmed how Gotscha finally connected the 169 parts with hinges. In the Army Museum you will automatically meet the double of Maurits’ suit of armour: in the collection concerning the Eighty Years War (1568-1648). Like his father William of Orange, Maurits fought against Spain but he became known mostly as a military reformer. He changed troops of raw hirelings into a proper professional army.

Maurits was not very tall, as is shown by his suit of armour. Remarkable also are the missing right index finger and back plate: just like the original. At the height of the belly flickers the dent of a bullet. A murderous attack on Maurits? Not at all. This small point just guarantees that it was a fighters’ suit of armour, not a decorative piece. Gotscha did indeed add this ‘quality mark’, but not with a musket.

Most classical: Gotscha was fourteen years old, when he made his first helmet. After this he learned the art of gold and silver smithing. "I looked around in workshops to see how it was done." Gotscha had good eyes, for in the Netherlands there is no better weapon smith to be found. What does he do at the moment? I have made a miniature suit of armour. Out of iron, the oldest material!"

Knight’s armour from the hands of a Georgian blacksmith Gotscha Lagidse

An article from "Hephaistos", 5 June 1999

In an improvised workshop he produced the replica of a suit of armour last year, which had been worn by Prince Maurits of Nassau 400 years ago. The original can be seen in the Art-History Museum in Vienna. On the initiative of Gotscha Lagidse this work was commissioned by the main curator of the Army and Weapon Museum in Delft Jan Piet Puype.

The detail measurement of the original suit of armour on loan in Delft and the production of templates and models took 400 working hours alone. The actual production of the armour took 1,5000 working hours. The past of the suit of armour weighing 40 kilograms (88 lbs.) at 168 centimeters (62.2 in.) were hammered from plates of one to three millimeters (.39 to 1.18 in.). After comparison of the original, the finishing touches and the bluing with the flame were done.

Gotscha Lagidse worked with "cold" techniques predominantly, in some cases heating was done by flame, and 800 fastening units, rings, et cetera, were used.

His passion for the production of knights’ armour started during the schooldays of Gotscha Lagidse already when a history teacher awakened his enthusiasm for knighthood. With the help of this teacher, he produced his first work, a Georgian helmet.

The experiences of a weapon smith

Newspaper article (Delftse Courant), 16^th January 1999. (translation)

In the Netherlands Lagidse came into contact with the circle of artist-blacksmiths and soon they became aware of his talent. "I was granted to help with an exhibition in the Maritime Museum of Texel," says the 33-year-old Lagidse. "The director of the museum advised me to visit the Army Museum in Delft. I wrote them a letter and on an open day I went along with some work. Later I received a reply with the request whether I would like to make the suit of armour of prince Maurits."

Chief curator J. Puype from the Army Museum was immediately enthusiastic about the skills of Lagidse. "For about ten years we have been wishing to have a replica made of the armour of prince Maurits, but we could not find the right smith. I had contact with the Dutch Guild of artist-blacksmiths, but nobody seemed suitable to execute this order. When I saw the work of Lagidse I knew he was our man and now, afterwards, I can say he is the best one I know."

The former military garage of Den Bosch was made into a smithy for Lagidse. The anvil he received from the Delfts museum, the other tools were a gift from a rich collector of suits of armour.

The period between receiving the order and the delivery of the suit of armour has been a hard time for Lagidse. Not so much bodily, as well as spiritually. For the order he received was quite something. "I had never made such a large European suit of armour. I mainly made miniature suits of armour," he says. "I started very enthusiastically, but after a while that diminished. I had also other things to think about. When it became very difficult I called a monk that I know, he helped me to calm down again. Once I had finished one hand of the suit of armour and saw that it was good, I regained my zeal. I ordered myself to work and so I did. Sometimes eleven or twelve hours a day."

Lagidse says he has felt inspired by the contact with the curator of the Army Museum. He looks at the photograph of Puype that hangs on the wall of the smithy above his desk. "Every three days we called one another to discuss the progress. It seemed as if there existed a sort of telepathy between us. I think he is planning to write a book about the creation of the suit of armour." Looking back Lagidse sees this whole period as a miracle, a fairy tale. "That I came here from Georgia and somehow came into contact with Mr. Puype I do not call chance. It has come from above. That I managed to finish it all in time and could deliver the suit in time to the Museum has to be the work of God. I still consider it unbelievable," Lagidse says in his improvised smithy. "For me it was a fairly tale. Once the suit of armour had gone, I felt very sad, for I missed it."

Lagidse obviously has deep love for his work. He takes a book about ‘Old Masters’ and opens it. He shows an etching of the workshop of Michelangelo. "Look, what a beautiful workshop he already had then, I would like to have something like that at some point. You see those beautiful clothes Michelangelo is wearing. He is aware that he is a great master. We are magicians," he jokes. But he is serious. Now the tale of the suit of armour is over, he would prefer to carry on immediately with the next fairy tale. He has received many orders already, in Europe, but also in America. He would prefer to go on with free art works. "But at the moment one cannot live so well from that as from the suits of armour."

Only this man could copy this suit of armour

Newspaper article (De Volkskrant), by Christie Hoofmeester, 15^th December 1998. (translation)

For ten years the Royal Dutch Army and Arms Museum in Delft searched without success for a smith with sufficient skills to make a copy of the iron suit of armour of prince Maurits from 1590, until G. Lagidse showed himself to be the right man, during an open day of the museum. This Friday his work will be in the museum.

In his smithy in Den Bosch Lagidse is working with the last leg piece, after 1600 working hours. Hanging on the wall are two mail shirts, helmets and countless photographs of the original armour, which stands in Vienna. The gilded rivets, the 169 parts, the dent in the breast plate, even the fact of the missing back plate and right index finger: Lagidse has copied everything unto perfection.

He has hardly had a chance to study the original. Nevertheless, the making of suits of armour was his dream. "A suit of armour is the symbol of the power of a nation. From when I was only 14 years old I have occupied myself with warmongery. Dutch suits of armour from the sixteenth and seventeenth century are very famous and graceful."

Chief curator J. Puype from the Army Museum: "In the whole of Europe I know nobody who is good at smith’s work as well as having such perfect style anatomically. In Georgia people have made suits of armour into the beginning of this century. Lagidse is more than just a tin cutter."

About the suit of armour that will be exhibited in the Army Museum from January onwards, Lagidse did not worry so much. Only one day in the 1½ years he worked on the metal suit has he doubted if it would come out well. "It was exiting work," he says. "Especially the making of the helmet." The forms of this had to be very precise. "I was occupied with it every day, often started at six o’clock in the morning. And whilst you are working, you do not have to think about it all the time."

Lagidse would rather not think too much about the future. "I wish to be only positive about that. I am a Georgian artist and I would like to become a Dutch artist as well. I would prefer to make autonomous work, in silver or bronze."

Before it goes I will breathe life into it

Georgian artist makes replica of the suit of armour of prince Maurits, Newspaper article (Brabants Dagblad), by Mary van Erp, 12^th December 2002. (translation)

He worked on it for months, as if driven by a mysterious force, sometimes continuously for weeks on end. Now it is nearly finished, the replica of the cavalry suit of armour that was worn by prince Maurits around 1590. In the workshop of Gotscha Lagidse (33) it stands robust and stately on its base. As if it could walk away any minute.

Gotscha comes from Georgia. When still young he became fascinated by the Medieval armours from Asia and Europe. For a hobby he started to copy them and later took to restoration as well. In this way Gotscha became known and he decided to specialize in the art of smiths work.

On the wall of his workshop hang two mail coats, complete with shield, headdress, weapon gloves and sword. The armour is finished to the tiniest detail. The small rings that form the "knitted pattern" of the mail coat have been connected by means of small holes and nails. A gigantic amount of work for which, apart from craftsmanship, a more than usual amount of patience is necessary. "After visits to museums, the odd exhibition and the sending around of photographs I became somewhat known in the Netherlands," says Gotscha. "During the open day of the Royal Dutch Army and Arms Museum in Delft I came into contact with the main curator Jan-Piet Puype and that brought about this order." For eight months Gotscha worked almost incessantly on his masterpiece. "I knew I could do it, though I had never tried it before," he says proudly. "I was continuously aware of the fact that once upon a time someone else like me had done what I was doing now and that made it very special."

The specialization of which Gotscha is master, is becoming very rare. According to Puype in the Netherlands there is no longer anyone who is capable of this. "It has always been my dream to have the armour of prince Maurits here in our museum. But it could never be the original. That is in Vienna and is only lent out occasionally. So when the opportunity came, we agreed to it."

Gotscha has made serious study of the original suit of armour when it was exhibited in the Netherlands. With white gloves and under observation by two cameras he took careful measurements of all 169 parts. The replica is in no way different from the original, which misses the back plate. Also its ‘mark of quality’, the dent from a musket in the breastplate, has been put into it. When all the gilded rivets are in place and the double chiseled lines along the edges have been added, the suit will be ready.

Meanwhile he has become almost one with his piece of work. It will be difficult for him to have to part with it next week. "They’d better take it away quickly then, but before it goes I will breathe life into it". After this Gotscha wants to leave the making of weaponry for a little while. His next piece will be a ladybird with silver wings. "And preferably in a workshop with living fire."

The Beatles were singing

Newspaper article (Achalgazrda Komunisti), by Mamuka Patschuaschvili, 5 July 1988. (translation) 

Recently passers-by witnessed the strange scene in front of the publishing house. A young man who looked very modern was dressed very strangely. The photographer was taking photos. The young man was very tense, tried not to look at passers-by and was waiting for the photographer, who continued his business calmly. The people looked curiously at the young man, dressed in armour and helmet, who had not forgotten his khevsuretian sword. Everybody thought that they were shooting a film. But the matter was quite different. Our photo correspondent, Oleg Gvelesiani, was taking photos of the fourth year student of Tbilisi Polytechnic Institute, Gotscha Lagidse, who was wearing warrior’s armament, which he had made himself. These were very difficult moments for Gotscha, because he does everything just for love of this work and not for showing off. To come out in the main street of the city during the day time and to show himself wearing his own work was not easy for the modest man. But he couldn’t refuse and this photo was taken at that very moment. This was the forgotten and never seen, which intruded into Tbilisi for a minute.

The Elizarashvili has the same feeling, the last to know the production of Georgian ‘Djavari" (Bulati). They did not want to take the secret of this art with them into the grave, and they did not avoid teaching this craft to anyone. Georgia, together with India was famous for the production of the best steel – "Djavari", in the whole world. Georgian swords had no equal in the world. In Tbilisi, in the nineteenth century lived the family of Elizarashvili, whose ancestor George was the famous master. He had inherited this craft himself and later gave it to his sons and grandsons. The production of the sword was secret. But one of George’s sons, Kharaman, in 1828 gave the secret of Georgian steel sword’s production and the patterns of his own swords to Russia. General Paskevich sent these patterns to Nicholai I. Very soon, from the Russian factory of Zlatoust, the advanced masters Ivjakov, Djatlov, Ivanovski and German master Vasil Goltferz were sent to Georgia. But people, who knew this trade well used to say that the Russian masters made good swords in Tbilisi, but in Russia they couldn’t, because only theoretical knowledge was not enough.

Nowadays the recipe of Elizarashvili’s steel is known – Indian iron "Vuts", Georgian horseshoes, Georgian steel and cast iron powder mixed up together. But only recipe isn’t enough, you need practical knowledge, patience and professionalism. Gotscha’s dream is to forge such a sword. He shared his idea with Themur Sulchanischvili and asked for help. Themur Sulchanischvili is the person who reconstructed the Rustaveli Theatre entrance door. After seeing Gotscha’s work, he agreed to help him.

Work is easy to say. Only Gotscha knows its value. Everything began quite early at school. During school years his teacher of history Djuanscher Djurchadze stimulated him in restoration of Georgian armours and presented him with a shield. Gotscha was in the 9^th grade then. Since that period Gotscha became the frequent guest of the Georgian Arts Museum. He was standing for hours in front of the armours and helmets and studied to make it. Later he made a helmet, afterwards the armour. The work was very difficult, more difficult than he could imagine, but at the same time very attractive. He was sitting for hours, working and looking at steel wires. In the same room The Beetles were singing.

Time went on. His love grew and grew. He knew that he was ready to make the Georgian warrior’s armour. He worked almost the whole summer. The most painstaking was the making of armour. In the mail shirt are 56,000 little rings. It needs 9kg of steel. In armour one ring is connected with four rings. He needed two months for making the mail shirt. Then he make an arm-piece and helmet and later forged the Khevsuretian sword, with its yellow copper scabbard and shield. Many specialists esteemed Gotscha’s work. Recently he was granted the People’s Arts of Georgia. The Master’s works are sent to Austria and to many exhibitions. The great Georgian printer Guram Gabaschvili mentioned that Gotscha Lagidse is a very desirable, purposeful and patriotic young man.

Gotscha will be a father in the near future and his children will have the love of old art and they will master the secret of this craft. Gotscha is young and he has much time to do more and more. Very soon he’ll graduate from the institute. He has planned to make the middle centuries European warriors’ armour.

In Tbilisi lives an ordinary man whose wish is to make the real Georgian "Djavari" sword, such as Elizarashvili's one and equal to famous Damascus sword.