In the history of Bulgarian art, there are numerous forgotten artists. However, few of them present as intriguing a case as Petar Dachev. His work unfolded during a period of intense artistic transformation, and his pieces bear witness to a sensitivity toward the new visual ideas and cultural processes of the first half of the 20th century. The exhibition “The Petar Dachev Case,” organized on the occasion of the 130th anniversary of the artist’s birth, is yet another research project by the Sofia City Art Gallery aimed at rethinking established historical perceptions and restoring the more complex picture of Bulgarian art between the two World Wars. The project brings together over 200 works that trace various aspects of the author’s creative and personal biography.

The exhibition marks the 120th anniversary of Vesselin Staykov’s birth. More than a retrospective survey, it is a research-driven attempt to unfold the creative process of one of the great masters of Bulgarian graphic art. Although Staykov trained as a painter in the studio of Prof. Tseno Todorov, he remained captivated by the graphic arts for the rest of his life. A particularly strong influence was exerted by Prof. Vasil Zahariev, whose classes at the Academy provided Staykov with his first encounter with printmaking techniques. Having chosen the graphic arts as his primary medium, yet always seeking in painting the richness of color and brushstroke, he continued to paint throughout his entire life.