Komitas 100th Birth Anniversary Medal, 1969

ANRO-1447

Obverse: A harrowing depiction of suffering, showing figures seemingly suspended in anguish. The central figure, a man in flowing robes, is lifted upward, while other figures appear to be clinging or falling. This imagery evokes the immense personal and collective pain endured by Komitas (1869–1935), the revered Armenian composer, priest, and ethnomusicologist, particularly in connection with the Armenian Genocide and his subsequent psychological trauma.

Reverse: A symbolic representation of Komitas' legacy and Armenian cultural loss, featuring bare, broken trees with human arms emerging from them, a poignant metaphor for the destruction of a people and their culture. In the background, a small house and church spires anchor the composition, possibly alluding to Komitas' early life in Kütahya, where he was born, and his deep ties to Armenian ecclesiastical and musical traditions. The inscription "Կոմիտաս" (Komitas) is positioned at the bottom.

Specifications: 71mm, 120.7 g, 12h
Artist / Engraver: Mnazakan Tamrasian
Mint:
Edge: Plain
Mintage:
Reference:
Image shown: CNG e474 Lot 559 Ex Professor Asbed Donabedian Collection (1923-1993)