Lot 78

Jan Václav Mrkvička (1856 - 1938) PORTRAIT OF A BOY AND A GIRL

The Czech-born painter Ivan Mrkvička (Bulgarian: Иван Мърквичка), whose own name was Jan Václav Mrkvička, is considered one of the founders of Bulgarian modern painting. He contributed to the artistic life in Bulgaria, newly liberated from Turkish rule, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1889 he settled in Sofia, and in 1896 he was one of the founders of the National Academy of Arts. Mrkvička excelled in classical painting and drawing techniques, but his most notable achievements were in depicting everyday life.