Tumanyan and Isahakyan in Ani, 1901

The photograph shows two of the greatest figures of Armenian literature, Hovhannes Tumanyan and Avetik Isahakyan. It was taken in 1901 in Ani, during the excavations.

The two men stand beside the stone steps of a ruined building. The man on the right leans on a walking stick and holds a white hat in his hand.

According to the source, the study of Ani was important in those years for understanding medieval Armenian statehood and cultural heritage, and alongside their literary work Tumanyan and Isahakyan took an active part in preserving national values.