Elena Karamihailova (1875 – 1961), “Self-Portrait with a Cat”, 1915

KARAMIHAILOVA, Elena Karamikhailova Yaneva (6.XII. 1875-1961). Born in the town of Shumen in the family of the enlightened and patriotic merchant Kara Mihail Yanev, called Kara Michal and his wife Zhechka Hadjilaskova, originally Bulgarians from Bolgrad. After Robert College in Constantinople, he studied at the private drawing school of the Slovenian Prof. Treblov (the so-called Ladies’ Academy), and later in Munich under the famous artists Henrich Knir, Jangelo Yang and Hristianis Landerberger. He returned in 1908 with a solid education and high artistic culture. He settled in Sofia with one of his brothers, a famous surgeon, and in the summer in the village of Zemen, Kyustendilsko. In the same year, he participated in the South Slavic exhibition of the “Lada” union with great success. Before the First World War he traveled to Munich (where he had a studio) and Paris. Participates in the exhibitions of “Contemporary Art”, “Native Art”, in the exhibitions of women artists and in general exhibitions.