Artwork

FĂT- FRUMOS DIN LACRIMĂ

FĂT- FRUMOS DIN LACRIMĂ, by Apcar Baltazar, unspecified, 1894
FĂT- FRUMOS DIN LACRIMĂ, by Apcar Baltazar, unspecified, 1894

FĂT- FRUMOS DIN LACRIMĂ is an unspecified painting by Apcar Baltazar. It dates from 1894 and is held in the collection of the National Museum of Art of Romania.

About this work

Overview

Făt‑Frumos din Lacrimă, attributed to Romanian painter Apcar Baltazar, dates to around 1894. The work consists of a modestly sized panel coated in a muted beige ground. Its surface is largely empty, bearing only faint pencil indications—small circular forms with interior lines, alongside assorted quick marks and marginal handwritten annotations.

Subject & Meaning

The sparse markings do not depict a finished narrative; instead they hint at preliminary explorations of form. The title, referencing the folkloric hero Făt‑Frumos, suggests an intended study of a figure or motif associated with the legend, though the unfinished state leaves the intended composition open to interpretation.

Technique & Style

Baltazar employed a light beige primer as a base, over which he rendered tentative graphite sketches. The circles with internal strokes resemble gestural studies of heads or bodies, while the ancillary marks function as compositional placeholders. The handwritten alphanumeric notes in the corners likely served as inventory or experimental references.

History & Provenance

The panel is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography, which acquired it as a work by Baltazar. Its cataloguing under the title *Făt‑Frumos din Lacrimă* reflects the museum’s practice of preserving even incomplete or preparatory pieces for their insight into the artist’s process.

Context

Created in the late nineteenth century, this piece aligns with Baltazar’s broader interest in Romanian folklore and national identity. The unfinished nature is characteristic of artists’ study sheets, offering a glimpse into the developmental stages preceding more polished works that engage directly with mythic subjects.

Artist & collection