Alexander Zankoff

ALEXANDER ZANKOFF (1900-1982),
"Three panthers".
Green patinated bronze and green marble plinth. Exemplary 121.
Signed and numbered.
Measurements: 25 x 75 x 16 cm.
Sculpture in bronze patinated in green color that represents a set formed by three panthers. Its treatment denotes a clearly modern aesthetic: the anatomical modeling reveals a deep knowledge of the natural, and at the same time a synthesizing intention, which seeks to eliminate the superfluous to capture the essence of the animal, of its strength and fierceness, despite the static position. The representation of wild animals was one of the most frequent themes during the Art Deco period, given that this was the time of the discovery of wild Africa.
From a young age Alexander Zankoff, showed artistic inclinations, which led him to study at prestigious academies in Italy: first at the Academy of Arts in Florence and then in Rome, completing his training around 1927. Later, in 1929, he undertook a decisive stage of specialization in sculpture under the tutelage of the famous Émile Antoine Bourdelle, which greatly influenced his artistic language.
After several formative years in Italy and France, Zankoff returned definitively to Bulgaria in 1934, settling in his native country. During the following decades, he developed a prolific artistic oeuvre that encompassed both painting and, above all, sculpture.
He cultivated animalistic sculpture; pieces such as a pair of walking polar bears or a walking panther exemplify his mastery of modeling and his ability to capture both the elegance of movement and the sculptural presence of volume. These works, made around the 1930s, show his technical skill and aesthetic sensibility in the use of bronze, patinas and marble bases.