St Benedict

Created: late 17th century

Material, technology: watercolour, parchment

Size: 21.3 x 15.5 cm

Description: Scenes of St Benedict’s life are most frequent in Benedictine monasteries. The composition is rare: St Benedict the wise teacher elicits vigorous responses in his audience. The high-quality miniatures on paper and parchment indicate the survival of illumination parallel with bookprinting. The subtle linear drawing, sensitive modelling and harmonious colour scheme of the picture suggest that the painter was a monk in one of the Benedictine convents along the Danube.