The Printing House of Vakhtang VI

The Printing House of Vakhtang VI was the first Georgian printing house. It was founded in 1708–09 (although, according to some sources, Vakhtang's brother, Catholicos Domenti, had established a printing house in Tbilisi earlier, in 1705, and printed several books) and existed until 1723.

The printing house was set up by Mikheil Ishtvanovich, an apprentice of Anthimos the Iberian, who was invited from Wallachia (present-day Romania). The first book printed here was the Gospel. From 1709–12, eleven titles were printed, among them Sh. Rustaveli’s The Knight in the Panther's Skin—edited by Vakhtang VI.

Due to Vakhtang VI's exile to Kerman, the publication of books declined in 1713–20 (only five books were printed). From 1721–22, book printing and publishing in the press experienced a resurgence. Nineteen titles were printed, including The Book of the Knowledge of Creation or Ayat, sermons, a geographical treatise translated from Persian by Vakhtang VI, as well as an alphabet with prayers, the Horologion (Zhamni), and others. The quality of the printing and publication of these works is comparable to that of books published in European printing houses.

The printing house possessed several types of Georgian scripts: Khutsuri—Asomtavruli and Nuskhuri, Mkhedruli, as well as Greek, and Latin. Both black and red ink were used simultaneously. The books included illustrations (engravings). Every aspect of the technical execution—good paper, excellent binding, and decoration—is a masterpiece of the art of that time. Famous masters worked in the printing house, including the hieromonks Nikoloz (brother of Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani) and Germane, Kvipriane Samtavneli, and others.

Literature: ლ ო რ თ ქ ი ფ ა ნ ი ძ ე  ე., ვახტანგ მეექვსე და ქართული სტამბის მოღვაწენი, თბ., 1962; შ ა რ ა შ ი ძ ე  ქ., პირველი სტამბა საქართველოში (1709–1722), თბ., 1955.