Orders and commissions given by civil and ecclesiastical authorities played an important role in the development of fine arts in Bulgaria. In many cases, these official commissions helped artists just as much as the private buyers who purchased paintings at exhibitions. By providing artists with work, income, and recognition, the State and public institutions helped create stable conditions for artistic activity.
Preserving Bulgarian National Heritage through Art
One of the most valuable initiatives was taken by Dr. Ivan Shishmanoff, while he was editor of the Magazine for Popular Recreation, Science and Literature, published by the Ministry of Public Instruction. Dr. Shishmanoff wished to collect and preserve materials related to Bulgarian ethnography, at a time when traditional ways of life were rapidly disappearing Bulgaria Holidays.
To achieve this goal, he entrusted several artists—especially Ivan Markvitchka—with the task of creating visual records of Bulgarian life. These artists prepared pictures showing national and peasant costumes, traditional tools used in home industries, and the remains of ancient Bulgarian architecture. Their work aimed to preserve the appearance of traditional dress and customs, which modern life threatened to erase. Even if these traditions disappeared in reality, they would survive in printed form within the pages of the Sbornik.
A National Gift to the Russian Tsar
Another important artistic project was initiated in 1896 by Constantin Velitchkoff, then Minister of Public Instruction. On his proposal, the Cabinet Council decided to offer Tsar Nicholas II of Russia a special gift on the occasion of his coronation. This gift took the form of an album of Bulgarian artworks.
The album contained pictures dealing with purely Bulgarian subjects, such as national types, landscapes, villages, revolutionary figures from the period before liberation, as well as Bulgarian and Turkish architecture and ruins. About twenty Bulgarian artists participated in this project and produced sixty-two pictures. This album not only honored the Russian Tsar but also presented Bulgarian culture and history to the outside world.
Portraits of National Leaders
In 1902, Dragan Tzankoff, as President of the National Assembly, commissioned the artist Nicolas Mihailoff to paint portraits of all former Presidents of the Sobranje (the Bulgarian Parliament). These portraits were intended to preserve the memory of Bulgaria’s political leaders and are now displayed in the library of the National Assembly, where they continue to serve both artistic and historical purposes.
Art in Public Institutions
Public institutions also used art to decorate and dignify their buildings. The Central Administration of the Bulgarian Agricultural Bank commissioned Ivan Markvitchka and Anton Mitoff to decorate the ceiling and walls of the Council Hall with frescoes. The subjects of these frescoes were taken from Bulgarian national life, showing rural scenes, labor, and traditional customs.
Through these commissions, the State and public institutions helped preserve Bulgarian heritage, supported artists financially, and strengthened the place of fine arts in national life. These efforts greatly contributed to the growth and stability of Bulgarian art.