Davit Agmashenebeli Ave

The building built at the beginning of the 20th century at 91, D. Agmashenebeli Ave. had the  public purpose; As it is clear from the old plans of Tbilisi, at first it was occupied by the customs office of the Caucasus region (district), and later it became a commercial object. The outstanding artistic value of the building is determined by its main facade, in particular the almost intact, authentically preserved showcases of the first floor. Large showcases made of metal profiles, the likes of which can hardly be found in the city, are arranged in such a way that their volume protrudes on the outer face of the facade wall, as if inflated, and the sides are rounded. The upper part of the showcases is decorated with an ornamental painting consisting of elongated segments of small-sized, cut crystal, which is decorated with garlands tied into a crown, a characteristic motif for Art Deco. Along with the modern "Art Nouveau" style, the overall decoration of the facade was undoubtedly influenced by Art Deco. This is indicated by the plastic sculpture of Rizalite - "heraldic" images of a griffin with a garland tied between them, smooth-skinned Tuscan columns of the first floor with Doric capitals, a balcony-balustrade and a balustraded parapet crowning the facade. One of the interesting details of the facade decoration is the garland decorating the parapet's edge with the image of a grotesque sculptural head of a man, which this time is seen as a manifestation of Art Nouveau aesthetics.