Master

Gotscha Lagidze is a renowned Georgian armourer and artist-restorer currently living in the Netherlands. The master's works are housed in museums and private collections around the world. He is a goldsmith, restorer, armourer, and bladesmith, a master of the ancient crafts of blacksmithing, and has received numerous awards and distinctions for his exceptional work.

Gotscha is equally skilled in leatherworking, creating shields, crossbows, and wooden quivers. What unites all of these activities is a deep connection to the past, particularly to the history and cultural heritage of his homeland, Georgia.

From an early age, Gotscha was fascinated by traditional armour. His interest began when his history teacher first introduced him to the heroic lives of Georgian knights and their armour. Everything started at the age of fourteen, when he began forging chain mail. The wire he needed was extracted from the tyres of old trucks. These first successful steps in the craft inspired him to pursue new discoveries and ambitious projects that would eventually bring him recognition and success.

In 1994, Gotscha Lagidze moved to Roosendaal, the Netherlands, with his family, where new challenges and an exciting artistic career awaited him. He began working on various projects commissioned by both governmental institutions and private clients. The Ministry of Culture of the Netherlands recognised his works as masterpieces of exceptional cultural value for future generations, and they are now preserved in the country's state collection.

In 2013, Gotscha Lagidze was awarded the title of Honorary Master by the Goldsmiths' Guild of the Netherlands.

"Believe it or not, creating armour for knights had been my dream since early childhood. Now it seems that dream has come true. I believe that moving to the Netherlands and devoting myself to this profession was nothing but destiny's will. However, there are no two homelands; in the end, every road brings me back to Georgia," said the master, who has made a significant contribution to the research and documentation of Georgian armour and weaponry scattered across the world.

We wish Gotscha Lagidze continued success. Through the work he carries out beyond Georgia's borders, he makes an invaluable contribution to the preservation, safeguarding, and further development of Georgian traditional craftsmanship and cultural heritage.