Lică Zugravul

Lică Zugravul was a wandering wall painter who left his mark on churches from Iași to Buzău, signing his work with a little drawing of a donkey, his signature, not a joke. He painted saints in stiff robes and gold halos, but his real trick was hiding a second set of eyes in the clouds behind them, just in case the holy figures wanted to peek out. You’ll spot that quiet rebellion in Sf.

Treime și Ceata apostolilor up in the northeast corner of the Putna Monastery; look right under the Trinity and you’ll see what I mean.