Nineteenth-century Bulgarian private collections

摘要

This paper describes the beginning of collecting activities in Bulgaria. Nineteenth-century private collections are examined in order to determine their place and role in the spiritual development of the Bulgarians after five centuries of Ottoman domination. Assembled in an effort to stimulate Bulgarian national self-esteem, these collections form an expression of nationalistic ideals and represent an important aspect in the creation of the Bulgarian nation. Some of their features set them apart from the western European collecting model and the paper concludes with a summary of these specific features.