Works from Boyan Radev’s collection of Bulgarian paintings on exhibition at National Gallery
Ninety-one paintings from the collection of Boyan Radev, owner of one of the largest private collections of art in Bulgaria, are on exhibition at the National Gallery in Sofia until November 11 2018.
In the halls of the Palace, artists such as George Papazov, Zlatyu Boyadzhiev, David Peretz, Bencho Obreshkov, Eliezer Alshekh, Iliya Petrov, Karl Yordanov, Ivan Nenov, and many others forging the image of Bulgarian art during the 20th century, are on display.
Radev, now 76, became an art collector after becoming one of Bulgaria’s top sports people: two gold medals at the Olympic Games (Tokyo, 1964; Mexico, 1968) and multiple world champion in Graeco-Roman wrestling.
A note on the gallery’s website said that Radev’s collecting of art provoked both admiration and jealousy.
“Why is a wrestler involved in art? Boyan Radev is one of those people who strive to be the best in whatever they do. Best in Bulgaria, best in Europe, best in the world. If there were more art connoisseurs like him, Bulgarian art would be better collected and better preserved.”
Details of the gallery’s opening hours and admission prices are available here.
