site.bta50th Death Anniversary of Artist Zlatyu Boyadjiev

February 2, 2026, marks 50 years since the death of artist Zlatyu Boyadjiev

Zlatyu Boyadjiev was born into a poor family in the village of Brezovo in Plovdiv. His father sent him to study at the Commercial High School in Plovdiv, from which he graduated, but he was more interested in painting. In 1932, he graduated from the Academy of Arts in Sofia under Prof. Tseno Todorov and subsequently took up a teaching position in Plovdiv. His "first academy" was actually the Plovdiv exhibitions of self-taught artists, where his name first appeared on graphic drawings in 1926. Another important influence was Geo Mirchev's signwriting studio, which was a hub for young enthusiasts like him at that time. It was there that he met Vasil Barakov and David Peretz, who were also taking their first steps in art. The three of them became known in intellectual and artistic circles as "the Baratsi". Boyadjiev studied alongside other future prominent Bulgarian artists such as Ivan Milev, Danail Dechev, Kiril Tsonev and Pencho Georgiev. In 1939, Boyadjiev went to study in Italy, where he became acquainted with Pre-Renaissance and Renaissance art and visited famous galleries in France, the USSR, Romania, Yugoslavia and Poland. His creative life began in earnest in the late 1930s with the appearance of his stylized landscapes of Plovdiv and its surroundings, as well as portraits of his loved ones. From 1939 to 1940, he was an active member of the Plovdiv Society of South Bulgarian Artists, participating in numerous exhibitions.

Zlatyu Boyadjiev’s work was inspired by the atmosphere of his native region - he painted everyday scenes, rural life, portraits, landscapes, etc. In 1951, he suffered a severe stroke that paralyzed his right arm, and he began to paint with his left. His style changed towards grotesque imagery, the inclusion of dozens of figures in his compositions and expressive colours.

Among his paintings are: "Portrait of the Artist's Father" (1940), "The Artist's Mother" (1940), "Family Portrait" (1941), "Portrait of a Young Girl" (1941), "Brezozski Shepherds" (1941), "In the Field" (1943), "Swineherd" (1945), "Mini Pernik" (1945), "Brigadiers" (1947), "To the Slaughterhouse" (1960), "Crowd" (1964), "Apocalypse" (1969), "Nestinari" (1974), and many others.

Throughout his career, Boyadjiev has been a recipient of several awards. In 1954, he was awarded the title of "Honored Artist" and 8 years later, the title of "People's Artist". He was also a laureate of the Dimitrov Prize, recipient of the Order of the People's Republic of Bulgaria, First Class, for his great contributions and achievements in the field of Bulgarian fine arts and the Order of Georgi Dimitrov. Since 1975, he was a member of the Academy of Arts of the German Democratic Republic.

He died on February 2, 1976, in Plovdiv. In 1984, a permanent exhibition titled "Zlatyu Boyadjiev" was opened in the house of the Revival figure Stoyan Chomakov in Plovdiv, where 76 works by the artist are presented, most of which are from his second period.