BORIS DENEV AND HIS “GREEK CONNECTION” DURING THE PERIOD FROM 1934 TO 1943
Keywords:
Boris Denev, Bulgarian-Greek Society, Greek-Bulgarian Society, Athens, travel notes, plain-air, newspaper illustrationsAbstract
Boris Denev was a passionate traveler, a curious and committed explorer of Bulgaria and the countries where he stayed for longer (Germany, Greece) or shorter periods of time (Italy, France, Turkey, today's North Macedonia). This text will trace his attitude as an artist, a man of letters, and a public figure to the history, nature, cultural heritage and the people of Bulgaria's southern neighbor, Greece. To him, this was a civilization that embraced ancient cultures and a source of artistic inspiration, yet it also was the land of a people with whom Bulgaria had complicated relations that
were finally beginning to warm up in the 1930's, after a prolonged period of animosity and hostility, caused by historical events which had been tragic for both countries. Here I will discuss several reciprocal visits by Greek and
Bulgarian artists and intellectuals as a part of the institutional efforts to establish artistic societies, engaged in cultural activities, which also resulted in some personal friendships, both artistic and purely human, where Boris Denev was an active participant/protagonist.
