Erma River near Tran

Nikola Petrov was one of the most talented artists of the early Modern Art period in Bulgaria. At 17 he started studying at the State School of Art (today’s National Academy of Art, Sofia). He graduated in 1913, yet his career as an artist had started much earlier. In 1903, he became a co-founding member of Suvremenno Izkustvo (Modern Art) Association. Petrov worked jointly with Alexander Mutafov to complete the design of the Bulgarian Pavilion at the Universal & International Exposition in Liege, Belguim in 1905. He also illustrated books for adults and children.