The famous Latvian Epic Poem, “Lāčplēsis”, translated in English by Dr. Arthur Cropley and illustrated by Bogdan Gărgăriță is now available for preorder on Kickstarter. After almost two years of illustrating epic scenes from “Bearslayer”, the book is finally ready to be published!

Nine hundred years ago, the German Crusaders were invading the Baltic region under the command of bishop Albert. The Council of the Latvian gods gathered. Under the protection of the Thunder God, Pērkons, they chose a noble warrior who would strive mightily against the forces of evil. This hero was Bearslayer, half man, half bear, the protector of nature and the Latvian people.

“Andrejs Pumpurs (1841–1902) published his epic poem Bearslayer (Lāčplēsis; 1888) against the backdrop of the political and economic monopoly of the German aristocracy, widely relying on Latvian folklore, mythology and historical material. (…) This folktale hero became a cornerstone of Latvian national identity at the time when Latvians were emerging as a modern nation, thus becoming one of the major foundation myths for the Republic of Latvia founded in 1918.” – KASPARS KĻAVIŅŠ

My name is Bogdan Gărgăriță, the Romanian artist behind the illustrations of “Bearslayer”. While studying visual arts in Latvia, I became fascinated by their culture, art and architecture and soon decided to illustrate this influential epic poem. I immediately contacted Dr. Arthur Cropley, a renown Australian author, who wrote the only English translation in poetic form of the original Latvian poem, “Lāčplēsis”. He agreed on collaborating for this fantastic project.

I painted decisive scenes on large canvases, using different techniques for creating the volumes of the decorations, with copper, silver and gold leaf to enrich the oil paintings. This ambitious project took me almost two years. The book is finished and ready for printing.

You can preorder your limited edition copy on Kickstarter.

More info: kickstarter.com

The famous Latvian Epic Poem, “Lāčplēsis”, translated in English by Dr. Arthur Cropley and illustrated by Bogdan Gărgăriță is now available for preorder on Kickstarter.

After almost two years of illustrating epic scenes from “Bearslayer”, the book is finally ready to be published!

Nine hundred years ago, the German Crusaders were invading the Baltic region under the command of bishop Albert. The Council of the Latvian gods gathered.

Under the protection of the Thunder God, Pērkons, they chose a noble warrior who would strive mightily against the forces of evil. This hero was Bearslayer, half man, half bear, the protector of nature and the Latvian people.

My name is Bogdan Gărgăriță, the Romanian artist behind the illustrations of “Bearslayer”.

While studying visual arts in Latvia, I became fascinated by their culture, art and architecture and soon decided to illustrate this influential epic poem.

I immediately contacted Dr. Arthur Cropley, a renown Australian author, who wrote the only English translation in poetic form of the original Latvian poem, “Lāčplēsis”. He agreed on collaborating for this fantastic project.

I painted decisive scenes on large canvases, using different techniques for creating the volumes of the decorations, with copper, silver and gold leaf to enrich the oil paintings.

You can preorder your limited edition copy on Kickstarter

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