Vasil Hristov Barakov

Place: Kazanlak

Born: 1902

Death: 1991

Biography:

Vasil Barakov was a Bulgarian painter born on September 4, 1902, in Kazanlak, Bulgaria. He moved to Pловdiv in 1914, where he studied at the Commercial High School and worked as a clerk in the Appellate Court. In 1926, he joined the course of drawing at the Duga firm in Pловdiv, where he met Zlatyu Boyadjiev and David Peretz. Together, they formed a creative group known as 'The Barats,' which was later recognized by Canko Lavrenov as one of the most influential artistic movements in Bulgaria. Barakov studied painting at the Art Academy in Sofia under professors Ceno Todorov, Stephan Ivanov, and Nikola Ganushev, graduating in 1937. He had his first solo exhibition in 1939, but it was not a financial success. From 1940 to 1945, he worked as a decorator at the Pazardzhik Dramatic Theater. After 1950, he lived and worked in Sofia. Barakov participated in most of the OHIs and collective exhibitions abroad from 1935. He organized two solo exhibitions in Sofia, in 1939 and 1977. Barakov's early works are characterized by expressive forms, rich colors, and thick texture, while his later works are more impressionistic. He is known for his industrial landscapes, such as 'Depot' (1938) and 'Landscape with Electric Canton' (1938). Barakov's works are exhibited in the National Art Gallery, the Sofia City Art Gallery, and other art galleries in Bulgaria. He died in 1991.