Collectible Masterpieces

15 December 2021 г. – 31 January 2022 г.

The exhibition “ASSEN PEIKOV DI ROMA” includes 50 outstanding artworks of the master of sculpture: portrait sculptures from plaster and bronze, reliefs and a self-portrait painting of the artist. The sculptor’s largest and best-known work from 1960 is the 60-foot statue of Leonardo Da Vinci at the Fiumicino Airport. Unsurprisingly, the artist’s popularity surpassed the boundaries not only of Bulgaria and Italy, but also those of Europe.

At his studio on Via Marguta 54 in Rome, Peikov worked not only on the portraits of a plethora of famous Italian intellectuals, but also world-renown personas. Some of his models, just to name a few, were J. F. Kennedy, the actresses Sophia Lauren, Claudia Cardinale, Gina Lollobrigida and Ava Gardner, the Italian film director and screen writer Federico Fellini and Alexander Fleming, who discovered penicillin.

The life of the famous sculptor was exciting, albeit full of hardships. At the age of 16, Assen became an orphan and decided to leave home and let go of the adventerous childhood on the dusty streets of Sevlievo city. Drawn by the mesmerizing Black Sea, the youngster attends the Sozopol Fishermen’s School, but later on moves to Sofia to become an alumni gold medal recipient for academic excellency in the National Academy of Arts under the supervision of the Bulgarian sculptor Andrey Nikolov.

Despite all the obstacles that life puts him through and the struggle with poverty, talent, diligence and a few brave decisions facilitate his departure outside of Bulgaria, and shortly after that he turns into one of the greatest artists in the field of sculpture.

A street in Sofia and a square in Rome are named in honour of the master.

The road of this exquisite sculpture collection to Bulgaria starts off from the place where it was created – the spiritual center of Europe – Rome. The collectible series of images will be presented together with a catalogue, containing all artworks that will be showcased in the exhibition.

WHEN?

Wednesday, December 15, 7:00 p.m.

WHERE?

San Stefano Gallery Main Exhibition Hall