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Prominent Armenian poet, writer and public activist Yeghishe Charents had a unique taste not only in literature but also in women. He had always been surrounded by beautiful women. Evidence of this were his two women  - Arpenik and Isabella. An exhibition named “Arpenik-Izabella” opened today at Yeghishe Charents Museum-House.

“It is no coincidence that the exhibition dedicated to the two women in the life of Charents is organised at a same time as the year is a jubilee for both. It marks the 120th anniversary of Arpenik Ter-Astvatsatryan and the 110th anniversary of Isabella Kodabashyan. The exhibition features whatever has been preserved from them,” Anush Tasalyan, the representative of the Charents Museum House told Panorama.am.

Charents lived with Arpenik from 1921 to 1927. Arpenik died as a result of late surgery. “After the death of Arpenik, Charents was in a stressful condition and burned all her belongings to not see them again and suffer from the great loss. Later, a series of poems were created in her memory and he even asked sculptor Ara Sargsyan to create Arpenik’s plaster face at a moment of passing away and her hand.”

The Museum-House preserved Arpenik’s makeup item, perfume flasks, presented by Charents from foreign trips.

“Arpenik was a clever and educated woman at the time. Years later, when Charents married Isabella, he dreamed of having a baby girl to name her Arpenik and he did so,” Tasalyan said.

After Arpenik’s death, Charents married Isabella Kodabashyan and lived with her from 1931 to 1937 having two daughters – Arpenik and Anahit. The exhibition features also Izabella’s scarf and other clothing, rings gifted by Charents.

The Museum also keeps one of the canvases by artist Martiros Saryan depicting Charents with his women.