Author of some of the most iconic sculptures in Bulgaria, Kiril Shivarov, born in Varna in 1887, used to be recognized as an indisputable creative authority during his lifetime. In his hometown, he was affectionately called "our sculptor." During the last 10 years of his life he had been working on a number of significant projects in Sofia. Another great sculptor and his contemporary Ivan Lazarov once said: “Kiril Shivarov is an innovator. He was the first to cleanse and Europeanize the Bulgarian sculpture and create works that our big cities are proud of." Among Shivarov's works are the lion’s figure of the Shipka Freedom Monument and the bronze sculptures of Hristo Georgiev and Evlogi Georgiev at the central entrance of the Sofia University.

Among his works are the magnificent decorations on the Palace of Justice in Sofia, on the Bulgarian National Bank and the present-day Sofia Library, as well as the enlargement of the lion's figure of the Monument of the Unknown Soldier in Sofia, the fountain in the Sea Garden of Varna and the first monument of Asparuh’s Warrior in Bulgaria.

Despite the rich heritage he left behind, his name is unknown to many today and some of his works are doomed to self-destruction. Longtime researcher Rumyana Ivanova explains this paradox with the fact that Shivarov did not participate in artistic associations, while the focus after September 9, 1944 was placed on them.

“Since 1997, when I returned to my native Varna, I have been trying to take the name of Kiril Shivarov out of oblivion as he is one of the most prominent Bulgarian sculptors who built the image of Bulgarian art culture in the early decades of the 20th century," the art critic who is the author of two books about the artist says.

Born in the family of a wood-carver, Shivarov drew from the spring of Bulgarian Revival traditions. He studied arts and crafts in Prague and later graduated from the Art Academy in Vienna with Edmund Helmer. Taking on different style influences, he built his own personal approach. He was one of the pioneers in Bulgaria when it comes to synthesis of sculpture and architecture. He transformed private homes, banks, hotels and institutions, harmonizing sculptural compositions with the architectural appearance of buildings, the researcher said.

Having exceptional energy, Kiril Shivarov used to be the soul of artistic bohemian circles, working on projects on an equal footing with ordinary workers, and transferring his experience to the young.

“In Varna, under the auspices of the Varna Chamber of Commerce, Shivarov created the first training in decorative sculpture in Bulgaria in which he educated talented children. Subsequently, they became his assistants. But he also assisted his students when they decided to establish themselves as independent creative personalities," Rumyana Ivanova says.

Kiril Shivarov is one of the pioneers in various fields of Bulgarian sculpture. With a number of works from the second decade of the twentieth century, he laid the foundations of sculptural marinism in Bulgaria and during the wars he created works with a satirical commentary on what was happening on the front line, invariably presenting the Bulgarian warrior as a hero. In fact, he was also Bulgaria’s most often hired sculptor for the creation of military monuments, Rumyana Ivanova told Radio Bulgaria, pointing out that despite his numerous works in this sphere, Shivarov never worked according to a template. Each monument has its own individual solution, environmental situation, scaling and address to regional history.

Death reached the renowned sculptor abruptly one morning in 1938, while working on stone decorations on the Palace of Justice in Sofia, Rumyana Ivanova said.

Following his mission to take the work of Kiril Shivarov out of oblivion, the art historian is ready with a script for a film, hoping to receive sponsorship for its creation. She has also collected a wealth of documentary material that has not been shown previously. If the film was made, this would be the first documentary dedicated to this brilliant sculptor.

English: Alexander Markov