38. Market in Karlovo [1940s]

Nikola Tanev's connection with Karlovo is very special. He himself writes in his memoirs: “For a full eighteen years afterwards I drew my subjects from here, from this picturesque small town of Karlovo, I burned under its strong sun, insatiably painting everything it warmed (...)." Indeed, Tanev devotes a large part of his work to the ancient Bulgarian town, nestled in the Sub-Balkan, which greatly captivates his imagination and fosters his love for his homeland. It is precisely in Karlovo that the artist paints some of his most colorful and bright canvases, paying great attention to the light and shadow and the interaction of colors. Even more special is the connection of Nikola Tanev with the theme of the market, street and populated public place. Even from his time in Paris at the very beginning of the 20th century, Tanev prefers these public places to develop his art style. In his memoirs we again understand that: "The academy for me was a place that I visited out of obligation. My real academy was on the quay, on the street, in the garden, at the stations, where I went with notebooks, which I filled with sketches from people's movements - porters, workers, groups of women shopping, flower sellers, restaurant waiters." In the oil work "Market in Karlovo", Tanev combines the Parisian spirit and observation of the public place with his favorite native motifs of the Bulgarian province and ancient Karlovo. Here, the creator depicts a normal daily life in the sub-Balkan city through the eyes of an experienced and cosmopolitan artist and observer, flawlessly capturing the noise of the market, the motion of the crowd, and the shadows that fall on the ground from the summer sun. Karlovo is transformed into an exceptionally bustling and vibrant city, filled with its daily routines, excitement and dynamics by the brush of Nikola Tanev. For many years Tanev devotes a large part of his time in Karlovo as a place for relaxation and inspiration. A place where he can observe and reflect on the surrounding nature, traditions and customs. But also on Karlovo as a unique commercial, domestic and cultural center of the sub-Balkan region. All of this shows the creator not only as one of the most cultivated and developed artists in Bulgaria for his time, but also as part of the group of significant post-impressionists in Europe for the first half of the 20th century. (M.Z.)

References

Milev, Ivo, "Nikola Tanev on the way", pub.: National Gallery, Sofia, 2020; Marinska, Ruza, "Nikola Tanev", Sofia, 2000

Dimensions

width 32 cm, height 27 cm

Description

oil paints on cardboard, Signed at the bottom left, in brown, "Nic. Taneff"

Research information

The work is reproduced in the catalogue Milev, Ivo, "Nikola Tanev on the Way", pub.: National Gallery, Sofia, 2020, p. 43. The piece participated in the exhibition "Nikola Tanev on the Way" at the National Gallery, Sofia in 2020.

Dating

1940s

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