mensional
perspective, the simplification of forms, the highlighting of the
essential, and the omission of all detail that was characteristic of
early miniaturists and icon painters.

Until the time of independence, sculpture was represented almost
exclusively by decorative wood carvings. With the introduction of
Western influences, several artists turned to the use of stone. Few
Bulgarian sculptors achieved international fame, however, although the
work of some professors of fine arts in Sofia were becoming known
outside the country. Among them was the noted woodcut artist, Vasil
Zakhariev, and a former director of the Academy of Fine Arts, Ivan
Lasarov.

The three-dimensional nature of sculpture and the classic Greek
tradition of literal representation have made it difficult for
contemporary sculptors to break away from the realistic representational
requirements of the regime. Only sculptures designed for children's
playgrounds and parks are allowed a degree of abstraction characteristic
of art created by children themselves. Observers have commented that
works considered highly modern in Bulgaria are completely traditional
and representational to the Western eye.

ARCHITECTURE

The architectural tradition of Bulgaria is formed on ancient Thracian,
Greek, and Roman architecture of which examples survive in several
parts of the country. Three periods stand out in the development of
distinct architectural styles over the ages. The first period was the
Middle Ages, when Bulgarian and other architects constructed some of the
great examples of early Byzantine architecture in territories that
constituted the First Bulgarian Kingdom (see ch. 2). Many of these
monuments are no longer within the boundaries of Bulgaria--notably the
churches and monastery in the Lake Ohrid region of Yugoslavia--and
others were destroyed during the centuries of Turkish rule. Among those
that have survived within the confines of the country are some of the
best examples of artistic expression and technology of the Byzantine
period. These are a source of great pride for Bulgarians, who consider
them part of their contribution to world culture.

The next period of outstanding architectural development was the
National Revival period of the late eighteenth century and the
nineteenth century. Flourishing commerce gave new life to such towns as
Plovdiv and Turnovo and created new urban centers in which affluent
merchants and artisans built ho