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A collection of unique historical costumes worn by Georgian nobility went on permanent display at the Art Palace museum this week.
Adorned with precious stones, details and accessories, the royal dresses created centuries ago were brought back from near destruction by a group of expert restorers and will now be available for public viewing.
The display showcases five costumes that were worn in Georgian theatre and cinema productions that were created between the 18th to 20th Century.
The masterful designs became a vivid part of the historical film and stage productions they appeared in but were later left languishing in decaying archives, until recently.
Within a project to save the items of cultural heritage, the damaged costumes were studied by a team of two experts who then spent six months strengthening their decaying fabric and adding original details.
Included among the exhibits is a costume of Georgia’s 12th Century ruler Queen Tamar, created by celebrated late theatre designer Simon Virsaladze (1909-1989) based on a fresco of the Queen found in Vardzia cave complex in Georgia’s south.