Maiden from Vratsa - Artmark România

oil paints on wood

Ivan Mrkvicka is one of the most significant foreign artists who permanently linked their fate with Bulgaria. Born in Czechoslovakia, he received his artistic education in the schools of Prague and Munich before his arrival in Bulgaria in 1881, invited as a drawing teacher in the city of Plovdiv. From the moment he arrived in Bulgaria, Mrkvicka was involved not only in teaching, but also in the cultural development of the newly liberated country. One of his most notable merits was his participation in the preparation and introduction of the legislation for the establishment of the first art school in the country. This institution played a key role in shaping professional artistic education in Bulgaria and opened its doors in 1898. Ivan Mrkvicka was elected as the first director of the newly established school, which in time became the foundation of the future Art Academy. Throughout his stay in Bulgaria – from 1881 to 1921 – and in later years, split living between Czechoslovakia and Bulgaria, Mrkvicka remained deeply attached to Bulgarian culture and traditions. He established an emotional and spiritual connection with the nation, finding expression in his works. The artist showed remarkable respect for the Bulgarian lifestyle and manners, often drawing inspiration from ordinary people – peasants, craftsmen, women and children. He did not simply depict them, but sought to understand their feelings and capture the essence of their lives. In his pursuit to recognize the authentic face of Bulgaria, Ivan Mrkvicka travelled across the country and parts of Macedonia, studying local costumes, traditions and decorative elements in clothing. He meticulously documented the ornamental features of the national clothes, as well as the environment in which people lived. A good example of this is the painting "Maiden from Vratsa". In it, we see a young Bulgarian girl in Vratsa's traditional costume, taking center stage and occupying the foreground of the composition. Behind her, we observe a sun-bathed country landscape, illustrated with exceptional attention to impressive light and shadow. The costume the young girl is dressed in is depicted by the Czech artist with great interest in ethnographic specifics. Mrkvicka skillfully used his colour palette to recreate in detail all elements of the woman's folk costume. A characteristic of his work is that he always strives to present the everyday Bulgarian person from the province in their natural environment, in their daily life, without excessive idealization or theatricality. At the beginning of the 20th century, Ivan Mrkvicka's “Maiden from Vratsa” gained wide popularity through its reproduction via tri-colour print (color autotypy) in the Royal Printing House in Sofia. The work was presented in the form of an "artistic illustrated postcard", which at that time was an exceptionally widespread means for visually popularizing national art. The painting was included as number 22 in a special series of images with Bulgarian motifs created by Mrkvicka during the 1890s and the start of the 20th century. Thanks to this edition, the artwork became popular both in Bulgaria and abroad. The first owner of the "Maiden from Vratsa" was Czech lawyer, writer and stenographer Dr. Alfred Rudolf (1858-1914). He was not just a close friend of the artist Ivan Mrkvicka, but also one of the significant figures who contributed to the cultural and national revival of Bulgaria in the years following Liberation. With his dedication to educational and literary activities, Dr. Rudolf occupies a worthy place among foreign individuals who sincerely supported the development of the young Bulgarian state. As a scholar and a public figure, Alfred Rudolf authored numerous works in the field of law and stenography. Among his most important publications are the "Calendar of Czech Stenographers" and "Stenographic Almanac", which established his name in specialized circles. Alongside this, he displayed a deep interest in Bulgarian culture and literature, as evident from his work as the publisher of the "Bulgarian Library" journal. In it, he included works by some of the most important Bulgarian writers like Ivan Vazov, Konstantin Velichkov and other notable names from the era. Alfred Rudolf also authored a number of books dedicated to Bulgaria, its nature, culture, and historical journey. Among them stands out the novel "Maria-Luiza", published in Bulgarian in the year 1900. Apart from that, he also published titles like "Six Essays on Bulgaria", "Twenty Years of Work for the Bulgarian People" – an early testament of Czech-Bulgarian cultural ties, and the book "In Memory of the Heroes", dedicated to the heroic defenders of the Shipka Pass. With his multifaceted activity – as a scholar, publicist, cultural worker, and friend of Bulgaria – Dr. Alfred Rudolf leaves a lasting contribution to Bulgarian-Czech relations and the spiritual life of post-liberation Bulgaria. The ownership of one of Ivan Mrkvicka's emblematic works – "Maiden from Vratsa" – is just another evidence of his deep personal and cultural connection with the country and its people. (M.Z.)

Protich, Andrey (1955). I. V. Mrkvichka, Life and Work. Sofia: Bulgarian Artist Publishing House Mrkvichka, Ivan (1929). Bulgaria in Images. Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Publishing House

width: 24 cm
height: 32 cm

after 1900

In the collection of Dr. Alfred Rudolf (1858-1914), Czech jurist, writer, stenographer, and close friend of the artist; from 1914, by inheritance, in the collection of Dr. Alfred Rudolf's grandson; from 1966, private collection, Sofia, purchased from the aforementioned by the current owner.

71^C. Maiden from Vratsa [after 1900]

Nu ratați nicio expoziție sau licitație!

71C. Maiden from Vratsa [after 1900]

Nu ratați nicio expoziție sau licitație!

71^C. Maiden from Vratsa [after 1900]