High quality portrait of a lucky monk with wine jug was executed by very good listed Austrian genre and portrait painter Ernst Nowak (1851-1919). He was a pupil of the Vienna Academy under Carl Wurzinger and August Eisenmenger. He became famous for his portraits and genre scenes with monks. From 1888 Nowak was a member of the Vienna Artists Unit.

Literature: Thieme/Becker V. 5, 1911. H.Fuchs "Lexicon of austrian artists of 19th century", Vienna, 1975.

Inscription: signed E. Nowak upper right; original bronze plaque with the artist’s name, mounted to the frame; on the back of the painting- antique label of famous Viennese auction house Leon Shidlof, sale on 6.02.1921.

Technique: oil on wood panel. Original period gold-plated frame.

Measurements: unframed w 6 1/4" x h 8 1/2" (16 x 21,5 cm , framed w 14" x h 16 1/8" (35,5 x 41 cm).

Condition: very good.