Vaska Emanouilova Gallery marks the 130thanniversary of the birth of sculptor Marko Markov (1889 – 1966). The exhibition with selected works created in the first half of the twentieth century draws attention to the portrait art and the monumental figure in the sculptor’s works.

Marko Markov was theartist who carved the emblematic monument of Patriarch Euthymius of Tarnovo and the figure of AleksandarStamboliyski, which are an important part ofthe culturalface of our capital. Nevertheless, thissculptor is less known and his creative work is not popular. The last exhibition including his works was in 1981. Apart from the fact that most of his artwas lost during the war, the oblivion is also due to his striving for the perfect form, which made him destroy those of his works in which he found a flaw.

During Marko Markov’sstudies in Paris in 1920 in Bourdelle’satelier, at the same time there studied Alberto Giacometti and GermainRichier. Returning toBulgaria, he was the only artistto have brought some influences of significant European trends in sculpture, such as Neo-Baroque and Surrealism, against whose backdrophe unfolded the avant-garde and whose historical weight is questionable today. Artists such as Maillol, Despiauand Bourdelleare valued for the immortal beauty of their works, but here Markov’s work can be viewed in connection with the neoclassicalformulations of totalitarianart.

Marko Markov’s workas a professor at the Academy of Art is of significant value and it can be argued that he taught a large part of the artistsfrom the next generations, some of whom are active even today. His younger contemporaries such as VaskaEmanouilova and Mara Georgievawere also heavily influenced by his art.

The present exhibition includes 18 works from the collections of Sofia City Art Gallery, the National Gallery, Ilia BeshkovArt Gallery and private collections. Part of it is dedicated to the monument of Patriarch Euthymius,inaugurated in 1939.