Our Mothers are Always Dressed in Black (All Souls' Day)

Ivan Milev was a prominent representative of the 1920s Native Art Movement. He was also very active within the genre of book illustration, his work drawing on the Secession/ Art Nouveau style. He was also a set designer at the Theater Studio and the National Theater.
Ivan Milev left an impressive volume of work, given his short life. His imagery was influenced by folklore, fairy tales and characters, the inspiration for all artists belonging to the 1920s Native Art Movement. The use of forms and fine lines, the range of color, and Secession/ Art Nouveau-inspired stylization reveal the sources of folk art and icon-painting. His compositions rely mainly on the use of tempera and watercolors, and in this respect they also followed the preferences of the Secessionist movement.