N. Markarian is the brother of well-known Bulgarian-Armenian photographer Vram Markarian. Following in his brother's steps, the photographer moved from his home town of Caesarea to Shumen, Bulgaria, where in the mid-1890s, they set up the studo Markarian Brothers, which operated under that name until the early 1900s.

The great success of this venture encouraged the brothers to open a branch of their studio in Silistra. A few years later, the branch was made into a separate business under N. K. Markarian's name. It was the most prominent photographic establishment in this city at least until the 1920's. 

Like his brother, N. Markarian was one of the more active cultural figures of the Bulgarian-Armenian community at the turn of the 20th century: (1) But as a photographer, his work was limited to more standard and practical approaches to studio portraiture. Pictures in other genres made by him have not been discovered.

1) Anita Komitska. 'Armentsite v Bolgaria' ['Armenians in Bulgaria', in Bulgarian], Bulgraskaya Etnologia, no.3, 2000, pp.116-118

Vigen Galstyan, 2016