Monumental landscape painting depicts Roman monastery garden in sunset colours with a priest and his young assistant, returning from an evening church service and surrounded by praying peasants. This romantical painting was executed in Rome in 1883 by well renowed Czech historical, genre and landscape painter Benes Knüpfer (1844 Sychrov, Bohemia - 1910 Adriatic sea). This large masterfully painting is one of the artist`s early works , which he created during his live and work in Rome. After study at the academies in Praque and Munich (under C.von Piloty), Knuepfer went to Rome as an Austrian pensioner. Here took place genre and historical paintings , Italian landscapes with bright , sometimes strong colors, portraits and navy representations, including nudes, nymphes, tritons , delphins. In addition, he worked as a photographer. From occasional visits to Prague, the painter lived permanently in Italy. His group exhibition held in Praque Rudolphinum 1908. Works by him situated in the Painting Gallery in Duesseldorf, Belvedere in Vienna , in the different noble private collections, many of them were illustrated in the famous magazine of those time "Zlata Praha".

Literature: Thieme/Becker "Allgemeines Lexikon der bildenden Künsler..", Leipzig, 1999; Prof.Toman "Czech Artist lexicon", Praque,1960, E. Benezit " Dictionary of painters, sculptors, decorators and etchers"(in French), Paris, 1999.

Inscription: signed: "B.Knüpfer, Rome 1883", lower left, on the reverse - invent. number..

Technique: oil on canvas, hand-crafted solid wood original period frame.Measurements: unframed w 53 1/2 " x h 26 1/3" (147 x 107 cm), framed w 61 1/2" x h 34 1/4" ( 174 x 134 cm).

Condition: in very good condition, original canvas was professionally cleaned, no any retouching.