Petrov, Iliia

Born July 9, 1903, in Razgrad. Bulgarian painter and graphic artist. People’s Artist (1963); Hero of Socialist Labor (1967). Member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

Petrov studied at the academies of arts in Sofia (1921-26) and Munich (from 1926). He has been a professor at the Academy of Arts in Sofia since 1941. His portraits, narrative compositions, and murals are marked by lofty ideological concepts, stark expressiveness, laconic composition, and a restrained palette. Examples of such works are the mural September 9th (1947; Dimitur Blagoev Cinema, Sofia), The Firing Squad (1954; National Art Museum, Sofia), and The Partisan Song (1959; National Art Museum, Sofia). The series of drawings Spain (1959) represents the best of the artist’s graphic works. Petrov has also sculptured.

Petrov was awarded the Dimitrov Prize in 1953, 1961, and 1971.