Record Art Sale in Bulgaria: Boyadzhiev's "Two Weddings" Reaches €280,000 After Fierce Bidding

Zlatyu Boyadzhiev’s painting “Two Weddings” ("Две сватби")has been sold for 280,000 euros at the Artmark spring auction held in Sofia, marking one of the most significant results for Bulgarian fine art on the market. The artwork had an estimated starting price between 20,000 and 35,000 euros, but intense bidding over nearly 15 minutes pushed the final price far beyond expectations.

The painting was originally acquired directly from the artist by Prof. William James Orville-Thomas and had remained in a private collection for more than fifty years before reappearing at auction. Its return to the market generated strong interest among collectors, contributing to the competitive bidding process.

Created in Paris in 1970, “Two Weddings” is part of Boyadzhiev’s well-known second cycle of large-scale compositions. The work presents a layered winter scene in the Rhodope Mountains, where elements of everyday life are interwoven with two parallel wedding celebrations - one Christian and one Muslim. The composition also features symbolic architectural details, including a church bell tower and a minaret, set alongside a centuries-old tree, reinforcing themes of coexistence and tradition.

The sale has set a new benchmark for the artist, surpassing his previous record achieved in November 2025, when another of his works, “Landscape,” was sold for 81,000 euros. Earlier records in Bulgarian art auctions included Ivan Mrkvichka’s version of “Handkerchief,” which reached 75,000 euros a decade ago at Apollo and Mercury. The latest result significantly exceeds these figures, reinforcing Boyadzhiev’s position at the top of the Bulgarian art market.

The second highest result at the same auction was achieved by Ivan Milev’s painting “The Guard,” created in the 1920s. Despite an initial estimate of 4,000 to 6,000 euros, the work was ultimately sold for 85,000 euros, reflecting strong demand for early 20th-century Bulgarian modernist art.