Zahari Zograf (1810-1853) | Fresco painter

Zahariy Hristovich Dimitrov / Захарий Христович Димитров, better known as Zahari Zograf (or Zahariy Zograf; Захари(й) Зограф) is a famous Bulgarian painter🎨 of the Bulgarian National Revival, noted for his church mural paintings and icons and often regarded as the founder of secular art in Bulgaria due to the introduction of everyday life elements in his work.

Zahari Zograf was born in the town of Samokov in 1810 and was taught by his brother Dimitar Zograf, with whom he later worked together, as his father died early.

A spiritual student of Neophyte of Rila since 1827, he became an equal partner of his brother at the age of 21 in 1831, i.e. he was proclaimed a master.

His best known icons are those of the SS Constantine and Helen Church in Plovdiv, the Church of the Theotokos in Koprivshtitsa, as well as a number of monasteries.

The Transfiguration Monastery - an Eastern Orthodox monastery located in the Dervent gorge of the Yantra River. It lies near the village of Samovodene, seven kilometres north of Veliko Tarnovo, in central northern Bulgaria.

Zahari Zograf's best known frescoes are those in the main:

• Church of the Rila Monastery;

• The chapel and the St. Nicholas church of the Bachkovo Monastery;

• The Troyan Monastery;

• The Monastery of the Transfiguration🎨.

He painted three mural portraits of himself in the latter three, a move that was regarded as controversial during the time.

Zahari Zograf lived and worked on Mount Athos between 1851-1852, where he decorated the outer narthex of the Great Lavra.

He also did several church donor portraits in his later years, also leaving a large number of unrealized sketches after his death from typhus on 14 June 1853. | © Wikipedia

Zahari Zograf | The circle of life Fresco, 1850 | Rila Monastery

Zahari Zograf | The circle of life Fresco, 1850 | Rila Monastery

Zahariy Hristovich Dimitrov / Захарий Христович Димитров, meglio noto come Zahari è stato un pittore famoso Bulgaro🎨, noto per i suoi dipinti murali e gli affreschi di chiese, spesso considerato il fondatore dell'arte Rinascimentale della Bulgaria, a causa dell'introduzione di elementi di vita quotidiana nelle sue opere.

Zahari Zograf nacque nella città di Samokov nel 1810 e fu insegnato da suo fratello Dimitar Zograf, con il quale in seguito lavorò insieme, poiché suo padre morì presto.

Studente spirituale di Neofita di Rila dal 1827, divenne un partner paritario di suo fratello all'età di 21 anni nel 1831, cioè fu proclamato maestro.

Gli affreschi più noti di Zahari Zograf sono quelli nella chiesa principale del Monastero di Rila, nella cappella e nella chiesa di San Nicola del monastero di Bachkovo, nel monastero di Troyan e nel monastero della Trasfigurazione.

Zahari Zograf visse e lavorò sul Monte Athos tra il 1851-1852, dove decorò il nartece esterno della Grande Lavra.

Nei suoi anni successivi fece anche diversi ritratti di donatori di chiese, lasciando anche un gran numero di schizzi non realizzati dopo la sua morte per tifo, il 14 giugno 1853.