Individual portraiture

A portrait is an artistic depiction of a person in a static pose, whether through drawing, photography or literary description. An important aspect is its focus on the face and expression, which are considered central to conveying the subject's outward appearance, inner emotions and character.

Wall-painted portraits and miniatures survive from the Second Bulgarian Empire depicting important figures such as Tsars Constantine Asen and Ivan Alexander, Sebastokrator Kaloyan, Despot Michael (son of Michael III Shishman Asen), Despot Dejan, Despot Konstantin Dragaš, Tsarina Irene, and the despotissas Desislava and Doya. These works convey not only their subjects' physical features but also seek to capture their inner life and character.

Modern portraiture took shape during the Bulgarian National Revival. At that time, the individual portrait was the most popular genre of Revival visual art. Well-known practitioners included Zahari Zograf, Georgi Danchov, Nikolay Pavlovich and others. They painted prominent people of their time, as well as self-portraits that also revealed their own inner worlds.