Bulgarian Revival art

The study aims to present an unpublished icon of St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki, painted by priest Dimitar Kanchov from Tryavna in 1847, together with six other icons from the sovereign tier of the iconostasis of the St. Demetrius Church in Varbitsa, Shumen region. The icons "St. Nicholas”, “Virgin Hodegetria“, „Christ Pantoctator”,“St. John the Baptist”, “St. Theodore Tyron” and “St. Pantaleon” share similar stylistic features. These similarities lead to the conclusion that the six unsigned icons should be also attributed to the hand of priest Dimitar Kanchov, which defines them as one of the largest groups of works by this painter, whose artistic production is scattered throughout Bulgarian lands and has not yet been extensively studied.

This research aims to identify the unique model of representation of St. St. Cyril and Methodius Equal to the Apostles in the artistic work of Nikola Vasilev – the most famous iconographer from Shumen during the Bulgarian National Revival Period. The chronological evolution of his interpretation of the subject is revealed trough a comparative study of twelve icons made between 1869 and 1896 AD. Special attention is paid to the setting of the scene with Baptism of the Bulgarian Tsar by St. Methodius in the midst of the composition as a means of emphasizing the personal relationship between the Bulgarian royal court and the Holy Brothers’ deeds. It is also noted that Nikola Vasilev preferred to name the two saints “Bulgarian Enlighteners” instead of “Slavic Enlighteners”, and had never stopped adding more and more typical Bulgarian elements into the icons’ iconographic scheme. The text examines the probable connection between some historical events and social conditions in Bulgaria, and the gradual evolution of the Nikola Vasilev’s model. Altogether, these features demonstrate the artistic value of the work of the zographer from Shumen, his extremely high national and local patriotism, and his public commitment and sensitivity to one of the most important cultural concepts for the Bulgarian national self-consciousness at that time – the Bulgarian roots of the Christianization and Enlightenment of the whole Slavic world.

Depictions of Saint Sava in Bulgarian
Art in the th and th centuries
S u m m a r y
The depictions of Saint Sava of Serbia dating from the last quarter of the 18th
century or the early 19th century presented in the paper originate from a wide
geographic area and in most cases it is possible to establish a direct or indirect
connection with the Hilandar monastery. In the late 18th and early 19th century,
the paintings showing Saint Sava were mostly brought from Mount Athos or
painted locally by Athonite artists. Nevertheless, the depictions of the Serbian
saint became part of the repertoire of zograph-style artists in Bulgarian painting
centres. Each depiction has its own historical context and meaning, which are
explored in the paper. Saint Sava of Serbia was well known among Bulgarians in
the studied period and was respected as the founder of the Hilandar monastery
and the person closely associated with the exceptionally popular miraculous icon
of the Three-Handed Virgin Mary, and this is clearly seen in the studied images.
Special attention should be paid to two hagiographic cycles, exceptionally rare
at that time, which reveal detailed knowledge of the life of Saint Sava, as well as
great respect for this saint. Refined details in designing the depictions the Serbian
saint are particularly typical of the Rila Monastery, which is also the site with the
highest concentration of his images.

The second Bulgarian capital Veliki Preslav is related with some of the most significant moments in the Bulgarian national fate during 9th century AD. It is the starting point of the Conversion to Orthodoxy, the Enlightenment of the Slavs, the creation and distribution of the Cyrillic alphabet, the Golden Age of Tsar Simeon I, etc. Event after the end of the First and the Second Bulgarian states the regal aura of the second Bulgarian capital Preslav as a symbol of our glorious past did not fade away. Perhaps for this reason, in the midst of the 19th century its majesty has become a part of the artistic toolkit of the Bulgarian National Revival Period art. Since 1864, Preslav has found its place in the iconography scheme of SS. Cyril and Methodius, but an image of it can be seen also at an unusual place - as a part of the landscape between SS. Apostles Peter and Paul in an icon painted in 1885 by the iconographer Nikola Vassilev from Shumen. Vasilev is the Revival Period painter who most actively portrays the Old Bulgarian capital in his icons of the Holy Brothers, adding curious elements to the city’s landscapes, so much of this study is dedicated to the analysis of his works.
Originally presented as a fantastic 9th century landscape the image of Preslav in the Bulgarian iconography gradually changes to an image of a modern 19th century town. The main contribution to this process is the work of Nikola Vasilev from Shumen who painted the old capital ten times between 1869 and 1896. In 1885, he represented it for the first time as a realistic 19th century urban landscape combined with historical elements that remind of the glorious past of Preslav ten centuries ago. We have to say that in 1885 Vasilev included the landscape of Preslav in two of his icons - one of SS. Cyril and Methodius and another one of SS. Apostles Peter and Paul – something that cannot be seen in the works of any other Bulgarian iconographer. However, his innovation did not end there, because in each of his subsequent icons of the Holy Brothers he elaborated his ideas about Preslav and interpreted its image according to the current historical circumstances. Thus, his last icon created in 1896 represents a realistic interpretation of a modern city with European outlook without ignoring of the elements of its historical background. It convinces the viewer that there is no difference between the grandeur of the old town from the 9th century and from the 19th century AD.                     
Key words: Nikola Vassilev, Shumen, St. Cyril and Methodius, St. Peter and Paul, Veliki Preslav, Bulgarian iconography, Conversion to Orthodoxy, Enlightenment of the Slavs.

The present paper aims to describe in broad outlines the artistic style of the painters from the Shumen iconographical school in representing the Nativity of Christ. The study focuses on the work of Vassil Hr. Bedelev, whose obvious predilection to the subject leads him to create a few remarkable for Bulgarian art during the National Revival period pieces. Two of his icons have been compared with four similar patterns of Nikola Vassilev, however, due to the lack of reliable identification, the analysis does not focus on the works of the newly discovered third member of the school – zograph David Georgiev from Marash village. The conclusions show that the artistic heritage of the three local iconographers has got an important place in the history of Bulgarian Revival period art where the work of Vassil Bedelev has to be considered in different way.

L`Ecole artistique de Tryavna existe de le commencement du XVIIIe siècle. Au début les maîtres de Tryavna travaillent aux environs de Veliko Tarnovo. De la moitié du siècle on les trouve à Nessebar, Pomorie, Sozopol et à Brodilovo et Malko Tarnovo en Strandja. Ce sont des examples de l`expansion territorial de l`Ecole artistique de Tryavna. Ses peintres et sculpteurs font la concurrence réussi aux maîtres locaux. Mobilité et adaptation sont les qualités caractéristiques des artistes de Tryavna pendant la long durée de l`Ecole.

Present paper aims to introduce to a wider audience an unknown and unpublished icon of the most famous iconographer from Shumen Nikola Vasilev. Here the theme of the Last Supper is elaborated in an unusual manner. What is more, dimensions, style and colour scheme differ from the other three known patterns of the subject made by Vasilev in a period of about twenty years. As many of the other works of Nikola Vasilev, the present one displays the author’s apparent ambition in the last decades of his life to establish a reputation of a modern artist and skilful painter – master with more than local prestige.

Present paper aims to describe an unpublished icon of an unknown until this moment member of the Shumen iconographic school during the National Revival period – zograph David from Marash village. The icon represents St. Triphon the Martyr with six scenes of his life, arranged in an unusual way. What is most intriguing, however, is the full name of the iconographer, written in the donor inscription on the lowest part of the icon. The existence of zograph David had remained unknown until recently, when a thorough restoration of the icon discovered his name on it. The inscription indicates that David was an active iconographer in the seventies of the nineteenth century, and marks his artistic areal, because it names the church that icon was ordered for. The most important elements here are the forename and surname of the painter, as well as his birthplace, discovered for the first time.

An unpublished until now icon of SS. Cyril and Methodius from the Holy Ascension Church in Shumen, painted in 1896 by the local iconographer Nikola Vassilev, has preserved an unusual representation of the old Bulgarian capital Veliki Preslav. Instead of the fictitious landscape of the Great city of St. Tsar Boris Mikhail in its majesty from the ninth century, typical for the iconography of the saints during the second half of nineteenth century, the iconographer has depicted on the background a contemporary view of the city, complemented with several imaginary historical elements.     
Nikola Vassilev made a substantial contribution to the development of the iconography of the Equal to Apostles SS. Cyril and Methodius Teachers of Slavs, by interpreting in a unique way the most popular at that time Viennese model of their icons. In 1885, he was the first Bulgarian iconographer who placed scene with the Baptism of St. Tsar Boris in the midst of the iconographic composition. Over the next decade, he continued to develop the story in his own artistic way; while in 1896, he made it even further, portraying the old capital Veliki Preslav through a realistic urban landscape, combined with curious details.   
Here we suggest that most likely this unique artistic manner of representation was a result of an apparent ambition of the local author in the last decades of his life to build up and establish his name as a modern artist and painter. Elaborating a style of his own, Nikola Vassilev seemed to us like telling the story of the Great city of Preslav from the ninth to the nineteenth century, and his icon from the Holy Ascension Church can be rightfully referred as the crown of his distinctive way of reading the story of life and deeds of SS. Cyril and Methodius.

В историята на българското възрожденско изкуство са записани само двама зографи от Шумен – Никола Василев и Васил Христов Беделев. Биографичните данни за тях не са много, а творчеството и на двамата никога не е било систематично изследвано. През последните две години, обаче, стана ясно, че съществуват неизследвани и непубликувани икони на Василев и Беделев, които са по-ранни от вече известните и задават нова хронологична рамка на тяхното творчество, както и нова насока за изследване на неговото разпространение и за оценяване на неговия мащаб. В допълнение, през 2015 г. беше открита и първата подписана икона на трети, неизвестен до момента зограф от Шуменско – Давид Георгиев от Мараш, които е работил в същите храмове и по същото време като Василев и Беделев. Всички това, заедно с установеното наличие на голям брой все още неизследвани произведения на тримата местни иконописци, създава необходимост от провеждане на задълбочено изкуствоведческо проучване на творчество им, чиято първа задача е да изследва техните най-ранни запазени сигурни произведения. Ето защо, във фокуса на настоящия доклад са поставени иконите на шуменските зографи, изписани в периода 1857-1858 г. за храма „Успение Пресветия Богородици” в Търговище.

Resume in English: The article explores Nikolay Pavlovich’s participation in an illustrated album, which can be regarded as a product of the local forms of 19th c. orientalism. It is considered as the first album of costumes of the Ottoman ruling elite, in which a Turkish artist has used Western artistic approaches in the depiction of the figures. The name of the author is Ârif Mehmed Paşa. The Turkish art historians dealing with the Tanzimat estimate the value of the work but they are not aware who are the actual painters behind the lithographic images. In contrast, most of the Bulgarian art historians know about the participation of Nikolay Pavlovic in this album but depict it in nationalistic key or do not consider it important. Therefore, this article combines the two types of sources in order to announce the significance of this album for the common pre-national history.

Greek painters had an enduring presence in the art life of the nineteenth-century region of Haskovo. Moschos V. from Edirne painted at the church of the Assumption in Haskovo the images of Christ and the Apostles in the nave, in 1836 and the icons on the iconostasis, in 1840/41. Thus, his works is placed chronologically between 1836 and 1858. His icons are to be found at the churches in the villages of Gorski Izvor, Stoikovo, Nikolovo. Stephanos K. Nikitas painted the murals and the icons at the churches of the villages of Nikolovo, Stoikovo, Garvanovo. A stylistic analysis revealed other works by him, eliminating most of the icons of the feast tier at the church in Garvanovo.  The icons by Nikolaos Adrionoupolitits (1)  at the church of the village of Bodrovo are unknown to science. Alexi Atanasov painted the Church of St. George in the village of Dinevo in 1851 and that of St Charalampus in the village of Chernogorovo, where the iconographic schemes differ from typical of the time. His works are found also at the churches in the villages of Gorski izvor and Dobrich; his latest works are of 1879.

Висше строително училище " Любен Каравелов " Резюме. Целта на изследването е да представи църквата " Св. Стефан " в Истанбул в светлината на архитектурно-художествения анализ и да докаже, че тя е замислена като част от архитектурен комплекс. Всяко градивно ре-шение на големия работен екип е интерпретирано в културологичен смисъл като конструкция с оглед подчертаването на значимостта на използването на съвременни и съответни на края на ХІХ в. конструктивни решения, каквито са и стоманените конструкции на църквата. По този начин са изведени различни от наложилите се в общественото пространство популяризаторски възгледи.