This article examines the role of Carol Popp de Szathmári (1812–1887) in shaping the early visual memory of the Bulgarian national liberation movement through photography, war reportage, and visual documentation of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878. Known primarily as one of the first war photographers and a pioneer of Romanian photography, Szathmári also maintained important connections with the Bulgarian National Revival. His portraits of Bulgarian revolutionaries, including Vasil Levski, together with his photographs, sketches, and watercolors from Pleven, Vidin, Nikopol, and other Bulgarian regions, represent some of the earliest visual records related to Bulgaria’s struggle for liberation from Ottoman rule.
The article argues that Szathmári’s work served not only as documentation of historical events, but also as an important means of shaping European perceptions of Bulgaria and the Balkans during the nineteenth century. Special attention is given to the relationship between photography, nationalism, and visual culture, as well as to the circulation of images through illustrated newspapers, engravings, and photographic albums. By analyzing selected photographs, watercolors, and published illustrations, the study highlights the role of visual media in constructing historical memory and demonstrates Szathmári’s contribution to the visual history of the Bulgarian liberation movement and the development of early war photography in the Balkans.