Mikheil Mchedlishvili (born 1950, Tbilisi) is a Georgian artist working in one of the rarest and most labour-intensive forms of icon art: icons embroidered in silk, where the needle takes the place of the brush. A graduate of the Mose Toidze Art College and a jeweller-engraver by training, he created works for the Georgian Patriarchate; his path in embroidered iconography began after he saw an embroidered Bolnisi cross in the reception hall of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II.
In 1996, at the invitation of the Georgian Embassy, he brought an exhibition to Moscow and remained in Russia with his family for twelve years. In 2008 he returned to Tbilisi.
Each icon is embroidered with silk mouliné thread. The preparatory drawing is made 8–10% larger than the finished work, since the thread compresses the canvas as it is stitched.
In his early icons the artist, drawing on his jeweller’s craft, wrought silver halos — the halo of his St. Nicholas was made from six soldiers’ medals “For Courage”.
“He proved to be a master who opened a ‘new world’ of Georgian religious art…” — Anna Ryndina (1937–2023), Doctor of Art History, member of the Russian Academy of Arts
“What distinguishes these icons is not a portrait likeness, but an inner, spiritual likeness.” — Archimandrite Raphael (Karelin), from the book The Embroidered Icons of Mikheil Mchedlishvili
The full catalogue (85 icons), articles and reviews are available in Russian: works · about the artist.