Ivan Milev

Ivan Milev (1897–1927) was a Bulgarian painter and set designer, one of the most prominent representatives of the Bulgarian Secession.

He was born on February 19, 1897, in Kazanlak. During World War I, he served as a war artist. In 1920, he enrolled in the National Academy of Art in Sofia, where he majored in Decoration. He worked as an illustrator, a set designer at the National Theatre, and a freelance artist.

He held his first solo exhibition in 1925. He created works inspired by Bulgarian folklore, icon painting, and the European Secession. Among his most famous works are "Ahinora", "Mother of God", "Holy Mountain Legend", and "Portrait of Anna Kamenova".

Ivan Milev died on January 25, 1927, at just 29 years old, after contracting the Spanish flu. His works are preserved in the National Art Gallery, the Sofia City Art Gallery, and the Art Gallery in Kazanlak.