In 2012 Vellant Publishing House launched the collection “Pasarea
maiastra” (The Magic bird), a project that aims to bring to the attention of readers
traditional Romanian fairy tales visually reinterpreted by
contemporary Romanian artists. The first installment of the collection is "Povestea lui Harap alb" (The Story of Harap Alb") by Ion
Creangă, which takes place in nearly 80 pages beautifully illustrated by
Cristiana Radu.
Based on traditional themes found in Romanian folklore, it
was recorded and reworked in 1877 by writer Ion Creangă, becoming one of his
main contributions to fantasy and Romanian literature. The narrative centers on
an eponymous prince traveling into a faraway land whose throne he has
inherited, showing him being made into a slave by the treacherous Bald Man and
eventually redeeming himself through acts of bravery. The plot introduces
intricate symbolism, notably illustrated by the secondary characters. Among
these are the helpful and sage old woman Holy Sunday, the tyrannical Red
Emperor, and a band of five monstrous characters who provide the prince with
serendipitous assistance: Frosty, Hungry, Thirsty, Lenghty, One Eyed.
Cristiana Radu has done justice to this traditional Romanian folklore tale through the magic of her pencil and lovely water color drawings, a feast for the eyes and a must have collectible.
