Ivan Mrkvička (born Jan Václav Mrkvička; bg, Иван Мърквичка) (23 April 1856 – 16 May 1938) was a Czech-born painter and an active contributor to the artistic life of newly liberated

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedo ...

in the late 19th and early 20th century. He is regarded as one of the founders of the modern Bulgarian fine art tradition.

Biography

Born in the village of Vidim near Mělník, he studied at the

Academy of Fine Arts in Prague The Academy of Fine Arts, Prague ( cs, Akademie výtvarných umění v Praze; AVU) is an art college in Prague, Czech Republic. Founded in 1799, it is the oldest art college in the country. The school offers twelve master's degree programs and on ...

and the

Munich Academy The Academy of Fine Arts, Munich (german: Akademie der Bildenden Künste München, also known as Munich Academy) is one of the oldest and most significant art academies in Germany. It is located in the Maxvorstadt district of Munich, in Bavaria, ...

. Mrkvička came to

Plovdiv Plovdiv ( bg, Пловдив, ), is the second-largest city in Bulgaria, standing on the banks of the Maritsa river in the historical region of Thrace. It has a population of 346,893 and 675,000 in the greater metropolitan area. Plovdiv is the ...

in 1881 after an invitation by the then-

Eastern Rumelia Eastern Rumelia ( bg, Източна Румелия, Iztochna Rumeliya; ota, , Rumeli-i Şarkî; el, Ανατολική Ρωμυλία, Anatoliki Romylia) was an autonomous province (''oblast'' in Bulgarian, '' vilayet'' in Turkish) in the Ott ...

n government and worked as a teacher in the

Cyril and Methodius Cyril (born Constantine, 826–869) and Methodius (815–885) were two brothers and Byzantine Christian theologians and missionaries. For their work evangelizing the Slavs, they are known as the "Apostles to the Slavs". They are credited w ...

high school, where he co-operated with the most important cultural figures in the city — Ivan Vazov,

Konstantin Velichkov Konstantin Velichkov (full name Konstantin Velichkov Petkov; in bg, Констaнтин Величков; 1855 – 3 November 1907) was a Bulgarian writer and public figure. Biography He was born in the town of Pazardzhik. Velichkov received hi ...

, Petko Karavelov, Petko Slaveykov. Mrkvička set up his first independent exhibition in 1886 and participated in two shared exhibitions with Anton Mitov, another teacher at the high school. During his Plovdiv period Mrkvička created some of his best known works: ''Plovdiv Marketplace'' (1883), ''Sakadzhii'' (1886), ''Gypsy Revelry'' (1887), ''Poulterer'' (1887), ''Marketplace in Plovdiv'' (1888) and others. Mrkvička settled in

Sofia Sofia ( ; bg, София, Sofiya, ) is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain in the western parts of the country. The city is built west of the Iskar river, and h ...

in 1889 and was one of the founders of the

National Academy of Arts The National Academy of Arts ( bg, Национална художествена академия) is an institution of higher education in Sofia, Bulgaria. It is the oldest and most renowned school of arts in the country. History The Nationa ...

in 1896, but briefly returned to Plovdiv in 1892 to take part in a special exhibition in the Plovdiv Fair main pavilion. He there presented 15 paintings, including ''Street in Plovdiv'', and a sculpture called ''Bulgaria — Patroness of Agriculture and Crafts''. He was also the author of the exhibition's official poster. The painter's most significant achievements are in the everyday life genre, although he also worked in the historic painting sphere and is the author of many high-quality portraits. One of the creators of the then-

coat of arms of Bulgaria coat of arms of Bulgaria ( bg, Герб на България ) consists of a crowned golden lion rampant over a dark red shield; above the shield is the Bulgarian historical crown. The shield is supported by two crowned golden lions rampant; be ...

and the coat of arms of Sofia, he became a

Bulgarian Academy of Sciences The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (abbreviated BAS; bg, Българска академия на науките, ''Balgarska akademiya na naukite'', abbreviated ''БАН'') is the National Academy of Bulgaria, established in 1869. The Academy ...

member in 1918. Mrkvička died in

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

on 16 May 1938.

Selected paintings

Bulgarian woman from Smilevo Mrkvicka.jpg, Bulgarian woman from Smilevo (1931) Bulgarian woman from Smilevo, 1931.jpg, Bulgarian woman from Smilevo (1931) Thrace Shop Macedonia.JPG, Three Sisters: Moesia, Thrace and Macedonia (1915) Radibuška moma od Mrkvička.jpg, Maid from Radibush (1929) Bulgarian Macedonian Woman Mrkvicka.jpg, Bulgarian woman from Skopska Crna Gora (1931) Ivan Mrkvička - Rachenitsa.jpg, Rachenitsa (1894) Jan Mrkvička-Shopsko horo.jpg, Shopsko Horo (1892) Ivan Mrkvička - Self-portrait.jpg, Self-portrait Ivan Mrkvička - Wedding in Momchilovtsi.jpg, Wedding in Momchilovtsi Zaduchnicsa 1890.jpg, Zadushnitsa (1890) Joseph I of Bulgaria.jpg, Joseph I of Bulgaria Mrkichka.JPG, Child's portrait Radka Hadzhinikolova in a Macedonian Costume 1880.jpg, Radka Hadzhinikolova in a Macedonian Costume Portrait of Princess Maria Louisa (1900).jpg, Portrait of Maria Louisa (1900)

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mrkvicka, Ivan 1856 births 1938 deaths Bulgarian painters Bulgarian people of Czech descent Corresponding Members of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences People from Mělník District Academy of Fine Arts, Munich alumni Academy of Fine Arts, Prague alumni 19th-century Czech painters 20th-century Czech painters Czech male painters 19th-century Czech male artists 20th-century Czech male artists