Nira Stone (née Weintraub) was born on 15 October 1938 and died on 26 June 2013. She studied and taught at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, at first in the Department of History of Art and subsequently in the Department of Indian, Iranian, and Armenian Studies. Her guiding lights in the study of Armenian art were Sirarpie Der Nersessian and Emma Korkhmazian. Both of them supported and encouraged her in her scholarly pursuit.
This volume gathers the articles that she published in various collections and journals all of which relate to Armenian art, and particularly to Armenian miniature painting. It is a labour of love for me to prepare this book and thus make her contribution to the field of the history of Armenian Art easily accessible.
The kindness of a number of people have contributed to this volume. They are acknowledged here. Yana Tchekhanovets urged me to turn Nira’s lecture, “Birds from Heaven,” into an article and graciously assisted both in adding some notes and in writing introductory remarks. This essay is here published for the first time. Christina Maranci and Anna Leyloyan-Yekmalyan wrote appreciations of Nira’s work and I am indebted to them both. I acknowledge a further personal debt to Prof. Maranci, who advised me on various matters relating to Nira’s literary estate. Valentina Calzolari-Bouvier and Theo M. van Lint have been most supportive and have agreed to publish this book in the Armenian Texts and Studies series. Samuel Rausnitz graciously translated one article into English.
Asya Bereznyak co-edited the volume with me, providing me with many benefits. A particular appreciation is due for her labours in getting permissions for the images. Sinéad Ward of the Chester Beatty Library and Dr. Amy Landau of the Walters Art Museum both contributed to this Sisyphean task. Dr. Vered Hillel most kindly assisted us on various editorial matters. Ms Patricia Radder of Brill Publishers has been a gracious and understanding editor whose counsel was always wise and kind.
May her memory be blessed
יהי זכרה ברוך
Michael E. Stone
Jerusalem, December 2016