Born on 1st February 1882 in Frolosh village in a family of Macedonian refugees from the Macedonian-vlach village of Magarevo, died in 29th September 1960 in Sofia, Vladimir Dimitrov Maistora is considered as one of the most important Bulgarian national painters. Until 1895 he worked as a clerk on several positions in the regional court. His talent for art was spotted and he decided to enroll at Sofia Industrial Art school. During his studies, he made a study trips to Odessa, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Istanbul and Venice. On these trips, he “earns” his well-known nickname: “Maistora (Master)”
During the Balkan and the First World War he works as an official war painter and travels with the Rila Division. He visited Macedonia in this period where he produced several remarkable paintings: “Wounded”, “Through Belasica”, “Front at the Struma river”, “In the city of Skopie 1916”.
After the war, he lives shortly in Italy and from 1924 until 1951 he lives in the village of Shishkovci. Here he develops a vibrant, coloristic style of painting the native people, scenes and customs.
