The "Loran" Gallery is visiting the Stara Zagora Art Gallery, where on July 25 (Thursday) 2024, at 6:00 p.m., the exhibition "Strokes and States" will be opened, presenting the life and work of the first Bulgarian academically educated engraver Nikola Popov (1868? – 1954), born in Stara Zagora.

His exquisite engravings, presented as early as 1892 in the Art Department of the First Bulgarian Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition held in Plovdiv and shown at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900, will be available for viewing by the citizens and guests of Stara Zagora until September 1, 2024.

The exhibition of the "Loran" Gallery, curated by Elisaveta Stancheva, shown in the fall of 2023 in Sofia, is visiting the artist's hometown, enriched with information related to his roots. In Stara Zagora, for the first time, the only known original copper plate engraved by Nikola Popov, today part of the collection of Rumen Manov, will be exhibited. On its surface, the image of Prince Ferdinand is recognizable, an imprint of which traveled to Paris in 1900.

Also impressive is the portrait of Princess Maria Luisa, wearing a magnificent diadem, made in the studio of the Viennese court jewelers A. E. Köchert, who created numerous ornaments over the years on behalf of a number of European monarchs. Among them, the diamond star hair ornament of the Austrian Empress Elizabeth - Sisi (1837 - 1898) is particularly popular.

The images of the ruling couple are present in the exhibition in several states, revealing to visitors the different stages of the engraver's work. Therefore, it is not surprising that the exhibition is named “Strokes and States” – on the one hand, it draws attention to basic concepts related to the art of engraving, but on the other hand, the title alludes to the two “states” through which the life of the artist Nikola Popov passes, who, after returning to Bulgaria in 1895, devoted himself to many years of teaching.

In addition to the engravings, drawings and decorative projects of Nikola Popov, the guests of the exhibition will also be able to get acquainted with a graphic print, the work of his teacher at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts – Prof. Johannes Sonnenleiter (1825 – 1907). This print is part of a series recreating panels from the curtain for comic operas of the Imperial and Royal Palace Theater, today the Vienna State Opera. It was made based on a drawing by the extremely popular 19th century Ferdinand Laufberger (1829 – 1881), who designed the curtain by emphasizing the joy that music brings.

Nikola Popov also worked on a plot from Laufberger’s curtain – without repeating his teacher’s work verbatim, he chose the panel “Hunting Fanfares” and created in Vienna the engravings known today as “Hunting Scene” and “Eros”, details of which the team of Dr. Katya Tineva – Gyurkovska selected for advertising banners that will decorate the gallery building until the beginning of September.

Nearly 160 years after his birth, the outstanding Bulgarian engraver Nikola Popov returns to his native land to meet with future generations through his work, reminding them that Stara Zagora is a city of linden trees, but also of artists.

The exhibition will be open until September 1, 2024.