The photos of the lot are informative and indicative, and cannot provide a highly detailed view of the object from all angles. We recommend a careful physical inspection of the lot before bidding.
The photos of the lot are informative and indicative, and cannot provide a highly detailed view of the object from all angles. We recommend a careful physical inspection of the lot before bidding.
124. Portrait of fashion designer Vasilka Hadzhipeneva [1910]
The painting Portrait of Vasilka Hadzhipeneva is the work of one of the most remarkable women in the history of Bulgarian art – Elisaveta Konsulova-Vazova. She is a significant figure in the development of Bulgarian culture, with a wide-ranging oeuvre spanning portraiture, still life, and figurative compositions.
In 1897, she enrolled in the second class of the newly established State Drawing School (founded in 1896) and graduated in 1902 from the painting class of Prof. Yaroslav Veshin. Around 1906, she began her early explorations in the genre of floral still life.
Alongside still lifes, Konsulova-Vazova created impressionist plein air portraits and exceptional depictions of children, which became emblematic of her work. Her works are bathed in bright sunlight, where colors shine while maintaining their silky transparency and vibrancy.
In 1909, she went to Munich to study at the Academy of the Society of Women Artists in the class of Prof. Heinrich Knirr. She visited numerous exhibitions and museums, but the works of Claude Monet left the strongest impression on her. She was captivated by the disciplined form rendered with ease in color and light, enveloping the canvas.
Returning to Bulgaria full of inspiration and enthusiasm, she produced numerous portraits aimed at capturing the precise physiognomic characteristics of her subjects. Portrait of Vasilka Hadzhipeneva was created in 1910 during this period of artistic exploration. The painting depicts Vasilka Hadzhipeneva – a fashion designer active in the early 20th century and wife of Georgi Hadzhipenev, a tailor, as noted on the back of the painting.
The subject is a young woman with a direct, even challenging gaze, aware of her significance. She is dressed according to contemporary urban fashion. As a designer, she engages with European trends, and Konsulova deliberately emphasizes the role of women entering new professions, highlighting her contribution. Today, the Vocational School of Fashion Design bears the name Elisaveta Vazova.
The portrait is executed with broad, free brushstrokes. The face is rendered with subtle tones, conveying the model’s gentle yet firm character. The tall dark hat with white lace and a small veil underscores her profession, complemented by her husband’s role as a tailor. She wears a brown jacket or dress with a white lace jabot.
The painting’s striking impact comes from the subject’s character, her perceptive colorful eyes, the pose, and the subtle tilt of the head. It is emblematic of the artist’s early work and demonstrates her initial engagement with impressionist painting.
In 1919, Konsulova-Vazova exhibited her works in Bulgaria for the first time. She participated in an exhibition of the Society of Artists in Bulgaria with several portraits and flower compositions. In the fall, she held her first solo exhibition, showing 130 works – the first solo exhibition by a woman artist in the country, a notable milestone in Bulgarian art history. The exhibition included portraits of Ivan Vazov (1917) and Stoyan Mihaylovski (1919), as well as numerous female and child portraits and floral still lifes. Her decades of active public engagement left a lasting mark on Bulgarian culture. (S.N.)
Dimensions
width 45 cm, height 61 cm, custom 61 Ã 45 cm
Description
маслени бои върху шперплат, signed, dated and located bottom right, in pencil, "Е. Консулова-Вазова, 14.XII.(19)10, София"
Research information
The portrayed Vasilka Hadzhipeneva was a fashion designer in the early 20th century. She was the wife of tailor Georgi Hadzhipenev from HaskovoâAsenovgrad.
Dating
1910
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For clarifications regarding the bidding procedure, hammer price costs, guarantee, payment, and collection terms for the winning lot, we recommend carefully reading/re-reading the Bidding Regulations.
For additional information regarding the lot and the auction, please contact the Art Consultants Department.
Detalii
The painting Portrait of Vasilka Hadzhipeneva is the work of one of the most remarkable women in the history of Bulgarian art – Elisaveta Konsulova-Vazova. She is a significant figure in the development of Bulgarian culture, with a wide-ranging oeuvre spanning portraiture, still life, and figurative compositions.
In 1897, she enrolled in the second class of the newly established State Drawing School (founded in 1896) and graduated in 1902 from the painting class of Prof. Yaroslav Veshin. Around 1906, she began her early explorations in the genre of floral still life.
Alongside still lifes, Konsulova-Vazova created impressionist plein air portraits and exceptional depictions of children, which became emblematic of her work. Her works are bathed in bright sunlight, where colors shine while maintaining their silky transparency and vibrancy.
In 1909, she went to Munich to study at the Academy of the Society of Women Artists in the class of Prof. Heinrich Knirr. She visited numerous exhibitions and museums, but the works of Claude Monet left the strongest impression on her. She was captivated by the disciplined form rendered with ease in color and light, enveloping the canvas.
Returning to Bulgaria full of inspiration and enthusiasm, she produced numerous portraits aimed at capturing the precise physiognomic characteristics of her subjects. Portrait of Vasilka Hadzhipeneva was created in 1910 during this period of artistic exploration. The painting depicts Vasilka Hadzhipeneva – a fashion designer active in the early 20th century and wife of Georgi Hadzhipenev, a tailor, as noted on the back of the painting.
The subject is a young woman with a direct, even challenging gaze, aware of her significance. She is dressed according to contemporary urban fashion. As a designer, she engages with European trends, and Konsulova deliberately emphasizes the role of women entering new professions, highlighting her contribution. Today, the Vocational School of Fashion Design bears the name Elisaveta Vazova.
The portrait is executed with broad, free brushstrokes. The face is rendered with subtle tones, conveying the model’s gentle yet firm character. The tall dark hat with white lace and a small veil underscores her profession, complemented by her husband’s role as a tailor. She wears a brown jacket or dress with a white lace jabot.
The painting’s striking impact comes from the subject’s character, her perceptive colorful eyes, the pose, and the subtle tilt of the head. It is emblematic of the artist’s early work and demonstrates her initial engagement with impressionist painting.
In 1919, Konsulova-Vazova exhibited her works in Bulgaria for the first time. She participated in an exhibition of the Society of Artists in Bulgaria with several portraits and flower compositions. In the fall, she held her first solo exhibition, showing 130 works – the first solo exhibition by a woman artist in the country, a notable milestone in Bulgarian art history. The exhibition included portraits of Ivan Vazov (1917) and Stoyan Mihaylovski (1919), as well as numerous female and child portraits and floral still lifes. Her decades of active public engagement left a lasting mark on Bulgarian culture. (S.N.)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For clarifications regarding the bidding procedure, hammer price costs, guarantee, payment, and collection terms for the winning lot, we recommend carefully reading/re-reading the Bidding Regulations.
For additional information regarding the lot and the auction, please contact the Art Consultants Department.
Dimensions
width 45 cm, height 61 cm, custom 61 Ã 45 cm
Description
маслени бои върху шперплат, signed, dated and located bottom right, in pencil, "Е. Консулова-Вазова, 14.XII.(19)10, София"
Research information
The portrayed Vasilka Hadzhipeneva was a fashion designer in the early 20th century. She was the wife of tailor Georgi Hadzhipenev from HaskovoâAsenovgrad.
