Chaplin and Paganini in a Needle Eye – Art of Eduard Ghazaryan

On June 20, 2017, the birthday of Eduard Ghazaryan, the founder of micro miniature, his grandson Eduard Ter-Ghazaryan shared some details of his grandfather’s life in an interview to the Sputnik Armenia media agency.

Wonder-maker and micro miniaturist Eduard Ghazaryan knew how Charlie Chaplin and Niccolò Paganini made it into a needle eye or how Gulliver and midgets got onto a human hair. He created microscopic sculptures on fig seeds, rice, and grains of gold.

Micro miniatures aren’t visible to the naked eye – one would be able to see the result of the hard work only through special optical instruments. Ghazaryan became known well outside Armenia thanks to his unique works ranging from camel caravans to depictions of famous people.

Once, an order came from Louvre. Ghazaryan was requested to recreate the Ninth Wave of Russian Armenian marine painter Ivan Aivazovsky on a grain of rice. Alas, the grain was laying on the balcony when a dove flew in to eat the result of months of hard work along with the promised honorarium.

Ten micro miniatures of Ghazaryan are now listed in The Guinness Book of Records.

Today, the grandson of Eduard Ghazaryan, Eduard Ter-Ghazaryan, carries on the work of his grandfather. “He was patient and wise towards both his work and my education. He had everything programmed in his head and did everything he wanted with the suitable materials,” told Ter-Ghazaryan. Ghazaryan has also been a wonderful musician and constructed musical instruments.

Ghazaryan conquered what Back couldn’t do. Bach played on an alto, which’s quietness didn’t satisfy him. He decided to increase the size of the instrument to achieve the desired sounding and provided his artisan with drafts. However, the artisan didn’t manage to create the instrument. In 1977, Ghazaryan did what Bach’s artisan couldn’t and created viola pomposa.

Genius Ghazaryan developed over 600 musical instruments, of which 30 are unique. He has also been a talented caricaturist.

“Grandfather wrote in his book that he adored all his professions. He managed to have free time for everything. Every day, he worked in the philharmonic society, returned home, and proceeded to miniature. When tired, he went to bed, played on some instruments, or drew. He didn’t waste any time and was fully engaged in his professions. He surpassed his contemporaries in everything,” said Eduard Ter-Ghazaryan.

Today, the micro miniatures of Eduard Ghazaryan are carefully preserved. Ter-Ghazaryan is planning to establish a museum dedicated to the works of his grandfather in the near future.

The English publisher International Biographical Centre studies the lives of genius people of all nations and times, including Eduard Ghazaryan.