46. Dragobete

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46. Dragobete

Răzvan Botiș

1984, Brașov

Estimate:

EUR 500 - 700

Not sold

terracotta, 14 x 33 x 4 cm, 14 Ã 33 Ã 4 cm

Research information

The artwork was part of the "Superheroes/Antiheroes â TendinÈe Ã®n arta contemporanÄ romÃ¢neascÄ" ("Superheroes/Antiheroes â Trends in Romanian Contemporary Art") exhibition, Art Safari 2021, BucureÈti.

Ion Ghinoiu, in "Obiceiuri populare de peste an - Dicționar" (1997) ("Popular customs of the year - Dictionary" (1997)), associates the name of Dragobete with a character from the Romanian folk mythology: "young god of the local pantheon with a fixed date of celebration in the same village, but variable from area to area (...), patron of love and good mood on Romanian lands", being identified with "Cupid, god of love in Roman mythology, and with Eros, god of love in Greek mythology". The author gives details of his family, naming him "son of Baba Dochia and brother-in-law of vegetation hero Lăzărică". The dictionary mentions (in the background) that Dragobete is also a "holiday dedicated to the god of love of the same name". In the "Mitologia română" ("Romanian Mythology"), from 1985, Romulus Vulcănescu describes him as a "mythical creature", being "young, strong, handsome and good." A legend from Albeni commune is mentioned, according to which "Dragobete Iovan was the son of Baba Dochia". The popular author described him as "a being, part human and part angelic, a beautiful and immortal young man, who walks the earth like the "Sântoaderi" and the "Rusale", but whom people cannot see, for the world has become defiled by sin and wickedness". Dragobete can also be found under the name of "Dragomir", known as a shepherd who accompanies Baba Dochia on her travels through the mountains, but he is also a positive figure, a symbol of spring, and on his birthday, the renewal of nature was celebrated and spring set in.

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