Canvas painting, "Prince Charming", 30x30 cm, hand painted, wooden frame

Acrylic painting on canvas by Ana Drăgan.

The painting measures 30x30 cm and is completed with a handcrafted wooden frame in a dark rosewood finish, measuring about 2.5 cm in width.

Signed and dated - Ana Drăgan.

Făt-Frumos (from Romanian făt: son, infant; frumos: handsome) is a knight hero in Romanian folklore, usually present in fairy tales.

Akin to Prince Charming, he possesses such essential attributes as courage, purity, justness, physical and spiritual strength, cleverness, passion, and unshakable love. Făt-Frumos also displays some minimal abilities in performing miracles, as well as total commitment to the word given and to the monarch he serves. In some tales, he is so precocious as to be able to weep before he is born.

Făt-Frumos is usually the youngest son of a king. In the Romanian folk stories it is common that all the sons of a king try to defeat the Zmeu or the Balaur, the older sons failing before the younger one succeeds.

Făt-Frumos has to go through tests and obstacles that surpass ordinary men's power. With dignity, he always brings these to a positive resolution. He fights demonic monsters and malevolent characters (zmeu, balaur, Muma Pădurii, etc.). He travels in both "this land" and "the other land" (tarâmul celălalt) on the Calul Năzdrăvan ("The Marvellous Horse"), who also serves as his counsellor.