Bust of Ivan Vazov
Plovdiv, Dondukov Garden park
In the 90s, Viktor Todorov was commissioned to restore the bust of the Bulgarian writer Ivan Vazov in the Dondukov Garden in Plovdiv. The monument was created before that, but in the 1990s it was vandalized and the bust was stolen – because of the primary construction of non-ferrous metal, bronze.
Viktor Todorov coped quickly with the assigned task and made the bust from Vratsa limestone*. The existing old stone pedestal and memorial inscription were used. The character and resemblance of the stone portrait to the original is in its maximum. The inherent poise, but also firmness in the expression of Ivan Vazov was depicted.
Once again, the properties of the Vratsa limestone have played their role here. It is as if the process of natural patination has sped up and catalyzed the joining of the two stones, old and new, into a common historical legacy. A geometric three-dimensional U-shaped figure of evergreen bushes was formed around the monument. This complements the overall composition and gives a kind of intimacy to the monument in the park environment.
* Viktor Todorov did not receive a fee for his work on the bust of Ivan Vazov, he did it for free. See the history of the bust in the chapter: The New Times. 90s and 2000s
All zoomable photos of the monument see here:
