The first catalog of paintings by Nicholas Roerich in Bulgaria
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On March 28, 2013 presentation of the catalog “Nicholas Roerich Collection” took place at the library of Sofia University «St. Kliment Ohridski». The catalog was published by the National Gallery for Foreign Art thanks to charitable endowment from the International Centre of the Roerichs.
Presentation of the catalog, issued in 2012, was timed to the 35th anniversary of Nicholas Roerich's exhibition which was opened in Sofia in 1978.
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The catalog represents all paintings by N. Roerich from the National Gallery for Foreign Art collection in Sofia. The majority of these 248 paintings belongs to the famous Himalayan series by the Master. The catalog also includes such big paintings as “Oh Coming One”, “Hill of Tara”, “Tibet”, and others. The new edition is very important not only for the promotion of the great Russian artist's oeuvre but also for scientific research of his artistic heritage.
Participants of the catalog presentation: Dr. Anna Angelova, Director of the University Library, Academician Svetelin Rusev, Prof. Anastas Gerdzhikov, Deputy Principal of Sofia University «St. Kliment Ohridski», Mr. O.A. Kovalev, Senior Counselor of the Russian Embassy in Bulgaria, as well as experts in oriental studies, historians, philologists, activists of culture, students, journalists, participants of the “Nicholas Roerich” program, which was organized in Bulgaria in 1970s, and those interested in the multifaceted creative heritage of the great Russian artist.
Mr. A. Stetsenko, First Deputy Director General of the Museum named after Nicholas Roerich of the International Centre of the Roerichs, read out greetings of Ms. L. Shaposhnikova, First Vice-President of the ICR, Director General of the Museum named after Nicholas Roerich.
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Her message stated that the catalog presentation was timed to the 35th anniversary of the exhibition of paintings by N. Roerich in Sofia, which was organized by Ms. Lyudmila Zhivkova, Chair of the Bulgarian Committee on Culture, with personal support of Dr. Svetoslav Roerich. In 1978 Bulgaria had an opportunity to make acquaintance with many-sided oeuvre of the great artist represented by the paintings from collections from India, the USSR, Europe, and USA. This exhibition facilitated successful implementation of a unique state program for creative development of personality, based on Beauty and Knowledge.
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In his speech Mr. Stetsenko noted that the International Centre of the Roerichs had been working for the Roerichs' Heritage preservation all over the world as the Heritage was very important for the education of future generations. That was the reason why the ICR supported the publication of the Gallery catalog.
Ms. Marga Koutsarova, Chair of the Bulgarian branch of the ICR, and Mr. G. Vyrlinkov, sculptor, also made their speeches during the presentation and spoke about creative links of the Roerichs with Bulgaria.
