A 20th Century Bulgarian Artist's Paintings Come To Life

A Bulgarian graphic designer spent some of his time in quarantine animating paintings of the prolific 20th century Bulgarian artist Vladimir Dimitrov - Maystora. All images used in the video were shot with an iPhone pre-pandemic.

Maystora (the Master). That is what his friends and contemporaries called Vladimir Dimitrov. Not only because of his apparent talent as an artist, but because of a deep inner conviction that this poor, thin young man approached art with both a rich spiritualism of his own and a most original vision.

There is no other artist who has so brilliantly lived up to the name given to him at the very beginning of his career.
However, he did not like solemn appeals for his creative efforts, nor did he care for titles.

That is why all of Maystora’s works remain forever unsigned and unclaimed – to him all successful art was recognizable and didn’t need the affirmation of a personal stamp.

Maystora was born in a little village in the district of Kyustendil, in 1882. From his parents he inherited neither title, nor artistic tradition, but the joyless lot of poverty. His childhood passed in dire need, hardship and anxiety, yet, hard as it was, it may well have enriched him with an early realization of the value of human virtues and human effort, and with the appreciation of nature.

Maybe that is why, when he graduated from art school, and traveled the world – from Turkey and Greece, to Italy, France and Germany, even as far afield as the United States, he chose to return home and spend most of his creative life in the small green village of Shishkovtsi. It became his home and studio, his inspiration, his whole life.

Man and nature were his main subjects. In his eyes they were always interconnected, just as they are in life. He felt they were fused in an eternal symbiosis in which the bounty and the fruits of the earth depended heavily on men’s actions and beliefs.

One time, young Vladimir and his father were rushing through a wheat field. The sky was heavy with lead gray clouds. Lightning and thunder played a rhythmic dance together, warning of the coming storm. The young boy noticed a late harvester in the distance – a divine white figure who continued to reap against the backdrop of the dark stormy sky. This vision stayed forever ingrained in his mind and soul. Years later he created numerous works of art dedicated to the act of reaping.

This deep spiritual life is present in all his canvases. The people he chose to paint command respect, vibrating like the strings of a well-tuned instrument, catching the flying melody of happiness, goodness and beauty.

Dimitrov was always among the people, a welcome guest at weddings and village social gatherings, always there quietly at harvest and fruit-picking time, in the field with his canvases.

His pictures are wonderfully unique – nothing specially arranged and no one posing; everything flows calmly, epically with the logical rationale of life.
They are reminiscent of Bulgarian folk songs, the spots of color follow each other as if in step with the rhythm of the verse, the composition is as bold and monumental as a ritual song, soft and tender as a lyrical refrain. They remind you of the embroidery on peasant women’s shirts and blouses, the colors of painted chests and home-made rugs. It is all Bulgarian to the core, yet raised to the level of universal art, pruned of the pettiness of the purely local, of time and of the commonplace.

Take this amazing portrait of a young woman, in full face, with the line of the national costume sweeping in a broad curve at the breasts. The white folds of the shirt show under the sleeves, the hands, exquisitely drawn, are modestly folded in front of her waist, holding a bouquet of freshly picked flowers – a symbol of a woman’s fertility; the long fingers express spirituality and a creative bent. The face is very slightly in profile, set off by a plain scarf.
But the eyes are the most beautiful thing about this portrait, deep and warm as a pot of honey, expressive and wise, dignified and pure.

We find this image of young Bulgarian womanhood in many of his works. It was not drawn in one go, but taking his time, he watched them, sketch pad in hand, putting down first a few strokes, then adding fresh ones over time.
Those portraits known as “Bulgarian Madonnas” are one of his main themes, displaying his enthusiasm for the Bulgarian peasant woman, tracing her whole life from the awakening of femininity to old age.

He was also in love with everything native, with the Bulgarian landscape and its people, whom he found worth glorifying and immortalizing. He purified their figures and idealized them with a remarkable sense of proportion to achieve meaningful aesthetic perfection.

The tones in his palettes are clear, unafraid of being next to one another, regardless of the canons of harmony. The brushwork is sweeping, bold, the work of a pure hand. Everything about his art is unusual and new, and at first sight might strike someone as strange, but once familiar with it, you begin to understand and love it for its humanity and talent.

Perhaps some of his greatest masterpieces are part of the cycle called “Wedding”, on which he worked for four years. It was supposed to include three compositions, reflecting the three most important moments from the wedding ritual: “The Traditional Line Dance”, “The Hand Kissing” and “The Festive Table”.

However, the cycle was never finished, with Maystora rendering only two out of the three paintings. What you are looking at on the left page now is “The Hand Kissing” – the moment when the bride kisses the hand of her father-in-law, thus receiving his blessing. According to Bulgarian tradition, this act is the creation of a spiritual bond between the young family, entering life, and the elder family, which has already learned life’s most important lessons.

The young bride is in the center. A white bridal wreath of garden flowers has been placed on her head, the soft folds of her wedding veil running gently down from it.

The background is filled in with luxuriant apple blossom – showing that this is taking place at the best time of the year, in spring, when nature awakens, and people are at their brightest.

The composition is circular, as is life – from green youth, and blooming parenthood to ripe and sweet adulthood. The effect of the painting’s tones and underlying emotion is dazzling.

Today Maystora’s wonderful palette is at rest and his pictures hang in the temples of art. Each generation will discover for itself their rich beauty and the aesthetic enjoyment they offer. Ever fresh, the optimism of his art will express his great zest for life and affection for the nation and people that inspired him. Here is a Bulgarian artist who will be young forever.