Vere Gallery has presented two newly uncovered travel albums, Mon Voyage En Asie and Mon Voyage En Russie, featuring 62 watercolors and graphic sketches created during a scientific expedition to the South Caucasus in the 1830s.
The material had never been published before and remained unknown to the wider scholarly community. Its discovery and introduction into academic circulation mark a significant development for the study of the history of the Caucasus and Tbilisi. Preliminary assessments link the albums to Swiss naturalist and archaeologist Frédéric Dubois de Montpéreux.
The route documented in the albums spans Abkhazia, Samegrelo, Imereti, Kartli, Tbilisi, Armenia, Pasanauri, Kazbegi, and Kabarda.
Particular attention is drawn to the series depicting Tbilisi, which captures the city at a pivotal moment: when its medieval urban fabric was still largely intact, and imperial modernization had only just begun.
Beyond their artistic value, the albums carry significant scientific importance. They offer a rare visual record of the early 19th century and reflect perceptions of the Caucasus and Georgia through an imperial lens, making them a valuable resource for studies of colonialism and spatial memory.
The project is supported by Bank of Georgia Business.
