Portrait of Hristina Morfova 1920

Dobri Dobrev painted this portrait of Hristina Morfova using oil paint. It’s a painting that feels both immediate and considered. I see the brushstrokes and the texture of the paint itself, particularly in the soft yellow background. You can imagine Dobrev, layering and blending, stepping back, and then adding another touch. I wonder what he was thinking as he painted her face? The gaze is both averted and knowing, and the red of her lips echoes the red of her cloak. The paint is applied thinly in some areas, allowing the canvas to breathe, and more thickly in others, like around the turban and braids. Each brushstroke feels deliberate, and it's clear Dobrev took his time to capture her likeness and personality. The colour palette reminds me of other painters who worked with similar tones, creating a kind of visual conversation across time and place. Ultimately, the piece is an exchange of ideas, an invitation to look and contemplate, and to bring our own experiences to the act of seeing.