Exhibition: I didn’t carry arms. I had a backpack and an easel

Paintings by eminent Bulgarian painters, who depicted the atmosphere in the Balkans during the war at the beginning of 20th century, are on display at the Royal Łazienki Museum from 23 September to 7 November 2022.

The selected works come from the collections of the National Museum of Military History in Sofia. Among the authors of the painting we can find Vladimir Dimitrov Poppetrov – The Master, Boris Denev Chokanov, Konstantin Shtyrklov, Peter Morozov, Alexander Nakov Mutafov, Yakim Banchev and Nikola Tanev. They are artists who graduated from prestigious academies in Paris, Munich and Turin. Their paintings, and sometimes entire exhibitions, were shown in many world-renowned galleries.

In their works, which are on display at the Royal Łazienki Museum, the painters have reproduced what they themselves saw and experienced at the front at the beginning of the 20th century, combining Bulgarian and European traditions of visual art.

Some of the artists were mobilised to fight during the Balkan Wars (1912–1913), while others joined the army voluntarily. During the First World War (1915–1918), they were awarded the status of War Artists of the Active Army Staff and were assigned to various divisions and regiments.

Opening hours, admission

The exhibition "I didn’t carry arms. I had a backpack and an easel" is open on Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday from 10.00 to 16.00 and on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10.00 to 18.00.

Admission: normal ticket 20 zlotys, reduced ticket 10 zlotys, ticket with the Large Family Card 15 zlotys or with one combined ticket to all the museum facilities (standard ticket 40 zlotys, reduced ticket 20 zlotys, children aged up to 7 years and youth up to 26 years of age 1 zloty), on Fridays – admission is free of charge.