Armenia (1921 -1925)

On the invitation of A. Myasnikyan, chairman of People's commissioner's council, Saryan permanently moved to Yerevan with his family. He organized a State museum of archeology, ethnography, and fine arts. Aside from that, he participated in the establishment of the Yerevan Art College and Artists Union of Armenia. In 1922, Saryan sketched the National Emblem and the flag of the Soviet Armenia. In the other remarkable work of this period, the sketch of the curtain of First Drama Theater in Yerevan, the artist depicted a synthesized image of his reborn homeland. The artist's goal was to depict the real life in Armenia. 'I want to show the world that this rocky piece of land on the slopes of Mount Aragats does exist', said Saryan. '… This piece of land has gone through storms and profanation, but has been washed by blood and sanctified by faith. This piece of land keeps on its bosom a small handful of hardworking and talented people'. (“Martiros Saryan”, p.86).
Changes in creative objectives resulted in changes in work methods and enhancement of style. Traveling to various regions in Armenia the artist painted his canvases in the open air, contemplating and depicting instances of nature's life. The zeal to convey the real and tangible side of nature and the nation's life resulted in a quick, sketchy manner of oil painting. Like shot after shot a valley scorched by the sun («Armenia, sketch»), low clay huts with flat roofs («Erevan, sketch»), summer heat, («Mount Aragats in summer») and the lovely cool of shady gardens («Courtyard in Erevan») appear one after the other.
Overcoming the impressionistic manner of transforming an object into a substance of color and light, Saryan strove to create a complete image in its material and volumetric integrity. However it is not the passive reproduction of the visible, but the ability, with one snapshot, to convey the inner essence of life evolving over time and space with the help of vivid imagination. 'To look with the eyes and see through the heart', Saryan used to say.
In the paintings of 1924, Saryan once again generalized the image of the world, by not confining to his country borders, but activating our emotional and intellectual perception of life as a whole. («Yerevan», «Midday Calm», «Flamboyant landscape» and others). Saryan exhibited his new paintings at the 14th International Exhibition (Biennale di Venice) where they were a great success and were reproduced for the first time.
Avetik Issahakyan, the Armenian poet, resided in Italy at the time published an article in the 'Hayrenik' newsletter (Paris). He highly appreciated the creative work of Saryan as a phenomenon of historical significance for the development of Armenian culture. 'He is building the scientific basis for our painting', the poet wrote. 'More exactly, he revitalizes and evolves the old traditions as the elements of this new art live in the depth of centuries of the history of our Motherland'.
The Italian press has also highly praised the art of the Armenian master. 'Saryan's paintings are of such a bright expression of strong and unique temperament that they produce a tremendous impact on a viewer. Both the colors and the portrayal deserve a great attention for those seeking a modern art point of view', the Italian critic J.Sprovieri wrote. (“Saryan”, p. 9).
In 1925, for the first time during the Soviet years, Saryan's paintings were displayed in Moscow at the Four Arts exhibition where they were highly praised by the metropolitan press. In the summer of the same year, the paintings left after the 1914 exposition held in Malmo (Sweden) were returned by I.Grabar and sent to the exhibition of Russian art in America. At the end of the year, Martiros Saryan was awarded the title of People's Artist of Armenia.