The Hovnatanyan family (Armenian: Հովնաթանյաններ, Hovnat'anyanner) was a prominent Armenian family of painters. They include five generations from 17th to 19th centuries. Hovnatanyans are originally from the village of Shorot, Yernjak district in Nakhichevan (now Şurud, Julfa Rayon, Nakhichivan Autonomous Republic).

They were based in Nakhichevan, Yerevan, Tbilisi, Ejmiatsin, Saint Petersburg and Persia. Most of their works are dedicated to Christianity like other works of their era.

The surname derives from Hovnatan, the Armenian equivalent of Jonathan.

Family members

• Naghash Hovnatan (Նաղաշ Հովնաթան) (1661-1722)^[1][2] - founder of the family; poet, artist, miniaturist, wall-painter, and a church clerk
  • Harutyun Hovnatanyan (Հարություն Հովնաթանյան) (18th century) – artist and a wall-painter
  • Hakob Hovnatanyan I (Հակոբ Հովնաթանյան) (died in 1757) – artist, miniaturist, and poet
    • Hovnatan Hovnatanyan (Հովնաթան Հովնաթանյան) (1730s – 1801/1802) – wall-painter
    • Mkrtum Hovnatanyan (Մկրտում Հովնաթանյան) (1779 —1846) – artist, buried in Khojivank cemetery, Tbilisi.
      • Aghaton Hovnatanyan (Աղաթոն Հովնաթանյան) (1816–1893) - artist
      • Hakob Hovnatanyan II (Հակոբ Հովնաթանյան) (1806—1881) – artist
        • Ruben Hovnatanyan (1940-1999) - artist

Legacy

A crater on the planet Mercury is named after Hakob Hovnatanian.^[3]

Gallery

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  Portrait of Melikishvili by Hakob Hovnatanyan, The Georgian Museum of Fine Arts, Tbilisi.
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  Karajyan by Hakob Hovnatanyan.
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  King Tiridates with his wife Ashkhen and sister Khosrovidukht by Naghash Hovnatan.
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  Grigor Tatevatsi by Hovnatan Hovnatanyan
• 
  Etchmiadzin Cathedral dome by Hovnatan Hovnatanyan and his son Mkrtum Hovnatanyan.
• 
  Last Supper by Hovnatan Hovnatanyan.
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  Moses of Chorene by Hovnatan Hovnatanyan.
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  Hayk by Mkrtum Hovnatanyan.
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  Nerses V by Hakob Hovnatanyan.
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  Ejmiatsin, by Naghash Hovnatan.
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  Ali by Hakob Hovnatanyan.