Anastas Staykov was born on May 21, 1905, in Smolyan.
In 1929, he graduated from the National Academy of Art in Sofia, where he studied under Prof. Stefan Badzhov. Staykov is often cited as the first Rhodope artist with an academic education; he later also specialized at the Académie Julian in Paris. Throughout his life, Staykov lived and worked in Plovdiv, where he was a member of the Society of South Bulgarian Artists.
In 1937, he held his first exhibition in Sofia.
He has held over 20 solo exhibitions and participated in numerous national and regional expositions.
He was a member of the Union of Bulgarian Artists.
He is an honorary citizen of his hometown, Smolyan. His works are held in many galleries and private collections both in Bulgaria and abroad.
He was a recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the Order of Saints Cyril and Methodius (1985).
In 1943, he participated in the Venice Biennale.
Retrospective exhibition in Sofia (1968).
Notable works include: "Native Room" (1933), "Fourteen Houses" (1936), "Rhodope Bride" (1938), "Near Smolyan" (1938), "Tarkolevata House" (1979), "The Gorge" (1984), and others.
He passed away on September 10, 1988, in Plovdiv.