Celebrating Ivan Milev Lalev: A Painter Honored on Bulgaria's 5 Leva Banknote

Ivan Milev Lalev was a Bulgarian painter and scenographer regarded as the founder of the Bulgarian Secession and a representative of Bulgarian modernism, combining symbolism, Art Nouveau, and expressionism in his work. He is defined as "the most Bulgarian artist". Milev was inspired by the everyday life of people, folk songs, legends, and customs in his country. He was born in the so-called 'Karnеnska mahala' neighborhood in Kazanlak on February 19 (March 3 new style) 1897 in the family of shepherd Milyu Lalev and the housewife Maria Ivanova. The path of the artist began in his hometown Kazanlak, unfortunately, he remains not very well known among his fellow citizens, and also among his compatriots.

Despite growing up in extreme poverty, Ivan Milev's childhood and youth were characterized by resilience and determination. Instead of succumbing to his circumstances, he cherished his paintings and was reluctant to sell them, refusing to become just another merchant. "It's hard to feel like a king and live like a beggar!" - Milev has repeatedly told his friends. Some of them tried to find an explanation for this contradiction in his paintings. On one hand, he loved the poor, he painted representatives of the poor people, on the other - in many of his paintings he brought incredible splendor and oriental pomp.

Milev's work has left a significant mark on Bulgarian culture and art. He is the author of poems and prose. It is not by chance that he was chosen among the most honored Bulgarians whose portraits we see on the lev banknotes.

Ivan Milev began to paint as a schoolboy. He finished the last year of the Kazanlak Pedagogical School but did not graduate. His drawing teacher was the artist Zahari Zhelev. He actively painted the...