St. Stephen
Type:
Icon
Period:
1873 year
Zahariya Tsanyuv is a representative of a prominent family of icon-painters - ZAHARIEVS that leaves a significant trace both in the artistic heritage and the public life of Tryavna in the National Revival. Its first representative - Zahariy whose name the family bears, leaves his first works in the middle of the 18th century in Strandja. His later artistic works are done at the Chiprovski and Kilifarevski Monasteries as well as in the region of Veliko Tarnovo. Zahariy's sons, Krastyu, Tsanyu and Ivan continue the icon-painting tradition at a high professional level. Their sons - Zahariya's grand-children, also get their knowledge of fine arts in the family's workshops. Amongst this generation of icon-painters, the name of Zahariya Tsanyuv, the eldest son of Tsanyu Zahariev Senior, is particularly remarkable. Born in 1811, he devotes all his conscientious life to icon-painting. There is a half a century filled with vicissitudes and tireless work between his first dated work (1825) and the last one (1879). His earliest work, "Mother of God the Quick Hearing" is found in one of his painting manual that is stored in the Specialized Museum of Icon-painting and Wood-carving of Tryavna. These painting manuals containing drawings, copied pictures, texts and also biographical notes are interesting to today's reader. Initially the young icon-painter works as an assistant of his imminent father. As an independent painter, his name appears on the icon Archangels' Council (1833) at Sopot Monastery. His female characters are extremely interesting and various, embodying womanhood, beauty, balanced emotionality. The talented icon-painter tried his hand at mural painting. In 1871 he and his son Kancho made the mural paintings of the church Godmother's Entry into the Temple in the village of Drenta, and the church St. Archangel Michael - village of Shilkovtsi. His name as an icon-painter is found for the last time in 1879 in the Svishtov church St. Demetrius. All his life, Zahariya Tsanyuv educates himself and experiments on the artistic field. He reaches strong realistic suggestions and academic approaches by following his own way. Zahariya Tsanyuv's many works witness an exceptional artistic talent, a magnetic spiritual charge and a deep religious sense. His artistic heritage includes icons, wall-paintings, graphic drawings, sketches, copied images. Most of his works remain as classical samples of our National Revival Art, being today a part of the treasure of Bulgarian national culture.
Location
Country: Bulgaria
Province: Gabrovo
Town: Tryavna
Description
A traditional compositional treatment of the theme.
Iconographical technique: Tempera
Gold-leaf, probaster and velaturas were used. The ornamentation is intricate, characteristic of the author's style with a virtuoso floral motif on the garment. In the lower left part of the icon there is a donor inscription.
Base material: Wood
Beech board
