Summer Auction #8/2025

This season’s Summer Auction presents a remarkable convergence of tradition and innovation, featuring rare and evocative works from the golden generations of Bulgarian painting. Leading the sale is Ivan Mrkvička’s Girl from Vratsa, a deeply intimate portrayal emblematic of his ethnographic sensitivity and painterly discipline. This rare work is a cornerstone of the artist’s oeuvre, echoing the nascent voice of Bulgarian realism at the turn of the 20th century. Dobri Dobrev’s Market in Sliven and Dimo Nikolov’s Market in Kotel offer contrasting yet complementary visions of public life, both grounding the viewer in the rhythm of rural and small-town Bulgaria. Equally compelling is Summer Day in Sozopol by the lesser-seen but critically admired Eliezer Alcheh, a lyrical depiction of the Black Sea coast rendered with a sensitivity to light and place that recalls the best of the plein-air tradition. The auction also celebrates the bold experimentation of Bulgaria’s postmodern vanguard. Works by Dimitar Kazakov Neron, Dimiter Buyuliski Mitchi, Nikolai Diugheroff or Ivan Kirkov stand as radical departures from tradition - abstract, symbolic, and arrestingly contemporary. These pieces exemplify the provocative visual language that redefined Bulgarian art in the latter half of the 20th century. A singular opportunity to acquire works that span the spectrum of Bulgarian visual history - from the folkloric to the avant-garde - this auction invites collectors to engage with the enduring dialogue between past and present.