The period between the two world wars in Bulgaria was remarkable for its real rise in the publication of books and magazines for children. Many artists, such as Alexander Bozhinov, Iliya Beshkov, Dechko Uzunov, Georgi Mashev, Iliya Petrov and others, created illustrations that today enrich the ideas about their art. They show interesting connections between the native and the universal, the decorative and the realistic in their way of thinking and in artistic expression. This development of illustration has been poorly examined and studied by Bulgarian art critics.
The current exhibition is one of the first attempts to more comprehensively and independently understand this phenomenon in the history of Bulgarian art. It includes books that have become classics such as “The Golden Book for Our Children” and “The Alphabet for the Little Ones” (1921), illustrated by Alexander Bozhinov, in which the precisely executed folk ornamentation is combined with influences from the Secession. Among the publications in the collection are “Tsar Shishko” by Elin Pelin (1925), “Beecho” and “Anne” by Angel Karaliychev (1934), “Veselite roduzov” by Yordan Stubel (1926 and 1929), “Gorskata kushchichka” by Dora Gabe (1934) and others with drawings by Iliya Beshkov, one of the most prolific artists of that time.
The artist Stoyan Venev was also tempted by children’s books. His sarcasm from the satirical drawing was transferred to the illustration. “Razmirnik (The Adventures of Gosho)” by Pelin Velkov (1938) and “Zlatotersachi (The Adventures of Gosho)” by Tsveti Ivanov (1938) are a wonderful find for Venev’s biting humor. Gosho is a kid with a cigarette in his mouth, who gets drunk and does all sorts of mischief, corresponding to the turbulent temper of the artist himself.
Undoubted masterpieces of Bulgarian illustration are the covers of "The Swan Queen" by Alexander Pushkin and "The Unborn Maiden" by Ran Bosilek (1933), drawn by Georgi Atanasov. Among the masterful examples is "The Winged Hero" by Angel Karaliychev (1927), drawn with exquisite minimalism by Dechko Uzunov, as well as many others.
The collection shown in the exhibition also contains copies of children's magazines such as "Firefly" (1904–1947), "Children's Joy" (1910–1947), "Children's Life" (1930–1947) and "Window", founded in 1939.
Toni Nikolov Collection
Curator Krasimir Iliev
Opening: June 21, 2018, 6:00 p.m.
Location: Vaska Emanuilova Gallery (branch of the Sofia City Art Gallery) / 15 Yanko Sakazov Blvd.
Closing: August 31, 2018
Source: FB event
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