Lavrenov, Tsanko
Lavrenov, Tsanko
Born Nov. 24, 1896, in Plovdiv. Bulgarian painter and graphic artist; People’s Artist (1963); Hero of Socialist Labor (1969).
Lavrenov attended a private art school in Vienna (1921–22). Using the icon and miniatures traditions of the Bulgarian Renaissance, as well as making detailed study of ancient architecture, Lavrenov concentrates on painting ancient cities and monasteries, often set in mountain landscapes—for example, Old Plovdiv (1946, the painter’s private collection). He prefers historical, folkloric, and occasionally fairy-tale and fantastic subjects and is fond of the triptych form. His painting For Freedom (1932, National Museum of the Bulgarian Revolutionary Movement in Sofia) protests fascist terror. Lavrenov’s paintings are imaginative, display vivid details, and use a decorative and harmonious palette.
REFERENCES
Tsoncheva, M. Tsanko Lavrenov. Sofia, 1957.Deltschev, B. Zanko Lavrenov. Sofia, 1968.