"Xalq Əmanəti" ("National Heritage") project Taghi Tagiyev (1917-1993)

Taghi Taghiyev is an outstanding representative of the Azerbaijani school of classical painting. He belongs to the galaxy of pioneers who laid a solid foundation for realism, which later became widely developed and rooted deeply in the Azerbaijani visual arts, giving rise to various local stylistic movements. Self-portraits painted in different years occupy a special place in the creative biography of Taghi Taghiyev. Taghiyev ventured into different genres; being a strong realist and good colorist, he easily coped with various tasks. The artist was inclined to create serious epic works, be it portraits of war heroes or landscapes of his beloved Baku. In this sense, a remarkable landscape, 1947’s View of Baku from the Sea, stored in the Tretyakov Gallery, is exemplary. He uses pearly, smoky-blue tones and shows us a narrow frieze of a picturesque bay with monuments of ancient architecture. The sky and sailboats are reflected in the splashing waves of the Caspian Sea. Even in his low-key still lifes, Taghi could achieve perfect forms and beautiful textures. The lovely 1954 still life Unfinished Breakfast" is full of air, light, atmosphere, warmth, and comfort. National elements are prominent in Taghi Taghiyev’s artworks. Having absorbed the color of Azerbaijani decorative and applied art and the richness and diversity of its ornamental language since his childhood, Taghi Taghiyev carried the influence of this powerful tradition throughout his life. We can say without prejudice that the bright decorativeness of Taghiyev’s painting comes precisely from the rhythm and colors of Azerbaijani art. The art of Taghi Taghiyev is diverse and many-sided. The artist’s legacy is valuable and significant for the history of our national art. He made an enormous contribution to the formation of a realistic school of painting and declared himself at a very early stage as a distinctive and highly professional master well versed in the laws of art.