"Kazbek Gorge", 1893

Artist / Leo Feliksovich Lagorio
(1826–1905)

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Oil on canvas
52.6×75.5 cm

Mountain gorges define the dramatic landscapes of Ossetia, Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria, and other regions of the Caucasus. In this painting, an ancient watchtower rises above the riverbank, nestled at the bottom of a narrow valley. Structures like these still stand today near the Main Caucasus Range.

These towers served as both homes and fortresses, each built by members of a single family clan, symbolizing the honor and courage of its lineage. Beside the tower, a modest rural saklya—simple dwelling of the highland people—finds shelter in the rugged terrain.

canvas echoes