…Nasul meu de botez Sirag Cascanian, fie-i tarana usoara, era un prosper fabricant de covoare orientale la Iasi. Pasiunea pentru literatura a nasului meu, explica si prietenia sa cu scriitorii ieseni, printre care, la loc de frunte se aflau M. Sadoveanu, Ionel Teodoreanu si multi altii.
ENGLISH VERSION BELOW
Impreuna cu acestia, frecventa o anumita crama pe care o botezasera “Academia Libera” si unde, in fata unei stacane de Cotnarel curat, “de la mama lui”, se putea sta de vorba ore in sir. Sadoveanu, care se stie ca era mare maestru al unei loje masonice, comandase nasului meu un imens covor cu insemne masonice, necesar pentru ceremoniile lor oculte.
Cand dupa ore bune, intalnirile de sprit de la “Academia Libera” se spargeau, Sadoveanu, care era prin excelenta taciturn, prindea glas si ii striga carciumarului: “Jupane, vezi ca turcu` plateste… !” (adica “turcu” de nasu` meu care isi facea un motiv de mandrie sa deschida baierele pungii pentru niste convivi atat de speciali)….”
– Fragment din cartea “Mahala, cuib de vise” – de Sevag Hairabedian – Ed. Ararat – 2006 (publicat cu acordul autorului)
Avocat, publicist, fabricant de covoare, precursor al artei covoarelor orientale in Romania. S-a nascut in 1892 in orasul Divrig, din Sebastia, (Armenia istorica).
Contribuie la salvarea unor copii armeni, orfani de parinti in urma genocidului din 1915. Sustine o activitate pedagogica, in calitate de director al scolii “Rumeli Hisar” din Constantinopol (1920). Inca din anii tineretii, Sirag Cascanian se preocupa de arta si mestesugul covoarelor orientale, devenind in scurta vreme, un specialist in domeniu. In anul 1922, Sirag se stabileste in Romania. La inceput este numit director adjunct al orfelinatului armean de la Strunga, unde introduce ca lucru manual, insusirea mestesugului covoarelor, productia scolii aducand un apreciabil venit. Dupa inchiderea orfelinatului, Sirag Cascanian se muta la Iasi. Aici, transforma un atelier de covoare intr-o fabrica (Tebriz), deschizand filiale si puncte de desfacere la Cernauti si Cluj.
Ararat – 24 – iun – 1926
In presa locala din cele doua orase, el publica articole de specialitate in legatura cu arta covoarelor orientale, atragand atentia asupra acestui mestesug, mai putin cunoscut la noi in tara. In 1940, S. C. se stabileste la Bucuresti; desfasoara o activitate sustinuta de initiere, indrumare, organizare a productiei de covoare orientale (cu noduri) in marile centre din tara: Braila, Galati, Tulcea, Brasov, Sibiu, Cluj, Gherla, Constanta, Craiova. Infiinteaza ateliere care produc covoare, de-acum mult solicitate si in strainatate. Cascanian se bucura de stima organelor oficiale ale tarii, si pentru meritele sale este distins cu ordine si medalii. I se incredinteaza decorarea unor palate, cu covoarele produse in atelierele lui. A fost considerat in tara, drept o autoritate in domeniul covoarelor orientale. Cunostintele sale si experienta dobandita in arta covoarelor orientale (in urma studierii catorva centre de renume din strainatate, vizitand tari din Orient si Armenia) au fost materializate in studii publicate in Romania, Armenia, S.U.A., intre altele si in publicatia “Studia et Acta Orientalia”, care aparea in Bucuresti (1958). Activitatea sa stiintifica in specialitatea covoarelor este dominata de doua carti de mare rasunet: “Covoare manuale” – Bucuresti, Editura Tehnica, 1972, de 288 de pagini, cuprizand date tehnice, istorice, estetice si practice asupra domeniului si “Rolul armenilor in crearea, inflorirea si raspandirea covoarelor orientale” (in limba armeana). In aceste lucrari, autorul sustine doua teze deosebit de valoroase, cu argumente stiintifice si artistice, despre provenienta armeana a mestesugului si artei covoarelor cu noduri si a unor tipuri de baza ale ornamenticii acestor obiecte de arta, precum si faptul ca acele covoare denumite “transilvane”, de pe teritoriul Romaniei, nu sunt – dupa cum s-a considerat in trecut – de provenienta micro-asiatica, turceasca, sau aduse de negustori turci, ci au fost lucrate in tara, de catre armenii stabiliti in secolele XVII-XVIII din Moldova in Transilvania, si care au folosit lana “turcana” locala.
English version
…My godfather Sirag Cascanian, be it a simple peasant, was a prosperous manufacturer of oriental carpets in Iasi. My nose’s passion for literature also explains his friendship with writers from Iasi, among whom, M. Sadoveanu, Ionel Teodoreanu and many others were at the forefront. and where, in front of a glass of pure Cotnarel, “from his mother”, one could talk for hours on end. Sadoveanu, who is known to have been the grand master of a Masonic lodge, had ordered my nose a huge carpet with Masonic insignia, necessary for their occult ceremonies. When, after hours, the witty meetings at the “Free Academy” broke up, Sadoveanu, who was excellently taciturn, raised his voice and shouted to the innkeeper: “Jupane, see that the Turk is paying…!” (that is, the “Turkish” of my nose who made it a point of pride to open the pockets of the bag for such special guests)…”
In the local press of the two cities, he publishes specialized articles about the art of oriental carpets, drawing attention to this craft, which is less known in our country. In 1940, S.C. settled in Bucharest; carries out a sustained activity of initiating, guiding, organizing the production of oriental carpets (with knots) in the major centers of the country: Braila, Galati, Tulcea, Brasov, Sibiu, Cluj, Gherla, Constanta, Craiova. He established workshops that produce carpets, which are now in great demand abroad. Cascanian enjoys the esteem of the country’s official bodies, and for his merits he is awarded orders and medals. He is entrusted with the decoration of some palaces, with the carpets produced in his workshops. He was considered in the country as an authority in the field of oriental carpets. His knowledge and experience gained in the art of oriental carpets (after studying several renowned centers abroad, visiting countries from the East and Armenia) were materialized in studies published in Romania, Armenia, the USA, among others, in the publication “Studia et Acta Orientalia “, which appeared in Bucharest (1958). His scientific activity in the specialty of carpets is dominated by two highly acclaimed books: “Manual Carpets” – Bucharest, Technical Publishing House, 1972, 288 pages, including technical, historical, aesthetic and practical data on the field and “The role of Armenians in the creation, the flowering and spread of oriental carpets” (in Armenian). In these works, the author supports two particularly valuable theses, with scientific and artistic arguments, about the Armenian origin of the craft and art of knotted carpets and some basic types of ornamentation of these art objects, as well as the fact that those carpets called “Transylvanian “, from the territory of Romania, are not – as was considered in the past – of micro-Asian, Turkish origin, or brought by Turkish merchants, but were made in the country, by the Armenians settled in the XVII-XVIII centuries from Moldova in Transylvania, and who used the local “Turkish” wool.
Leave a Reply