Հայ մշակույթի երախտավորը (ուրվագիծ Գարեգին Լևոնյանի հայագիտական գործունեության)

Abstract

The beginning of the twentieth century was the “golden age” of the Armenian culture and Armenian studies, and Garegin Levonyan has a special place among the best Armenian scholars of that fruitful era. His contribution to the development of Armenian philology and art criticism is paramount. With his valuable research, he stands at the origins of the formation of Human sciences in Armenia and is one of the founders of this direction in Armenian Studies. His research works cover a variety of fields of Armenian philology, culture and art: Ashug studies, fine arts, aesthetics of the history and theory of literature, the art of printing, Armenian theater and the history of Armenian periodicals. G. Levonyan's scientific interests have always included the artistic works of the classics of Russian and foreign literature. Despite the large scope of G. Levonyan's interests and his outstanding contribution to various fields in Armenian Studies, his main inclination has always been towards the history of the periodical press, as well as Ashug Studies – the areas in which Levonyan created fundamental values. Compiled by Levonyan himself, the chronological summary lists of Armenian periodicals having a history of 140 years, with their completeness and inclusiveness, the perfection of the presentation of bibliographic data, are the best confirmation of his inestimable services to Armenian Studies. G. Levonyan was not only an outstanding scholar of Armenian Studies, but also one who advocated and popularized national culture, literature and art; all his activities were aimed at improving national self-consciousness through the study of culture and art.