Grigor Khanjyan: Armenia’s Central Bank issues a silver coin for the painter’s centenary
- Published
- Place
- Yerevan, Armenia
- Event date
- Upcoming event —
Summary
The Central Bank of Armenia is putting into circulation on Tuesday 3 November a silver collector coin marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of Grigor Khanjyan (1926-2000), painter and graphic artist, People’s Artist of Armenia (1967) and of the USSR (1983). Rectangular and measuring 28 by 40 mm, the coin weighs 28.28 g of 925 silver and has a face value of 100 drams. Only 300 have been struck, by the Royal Dutch Mint. The obverse reproduces his painting “In the Highlands” (1972, National Gallery of Armenia). The reverse shows his portrait and a fragment of the triptych “In Honor of Artists” (1978, Mooradian Gallery, USA). Khanjyan is best known for the large monumental works “The Armenian Alphabet”, “Vardanank” and “Renaissance”, made between 1992 and 2000.
Analysis
With a mintage of 300, the issue is aimed mainly at collectors in Armenia and the diaspora. It also recalls Khanjyan’s place in 20th-century Armenian art: his large compositions on Armenian history, from the invention of the alphabet to the battle of Avarayr, are on display at Yerevan’s Cascade, where they are among the country’s best-known works.
Possible consequences
Coin sold by the Central Bank of Armenia, mintage limited to 300.
