This masterfully portrait of a lucky monk with a glass of wine was executed 1915 by very good listed Austrian genre and portrait painter Ernst Nowak (1851-1919) and was exhibited in the same year at the exhibiton of famous Viennese Art Union "Kuenstlerhaus". Nowak 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 and dated E. Nowak 1915 upper right

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

Measurements: unframed w 6 1/4" x h 8 1/2" (16 x 21,5 cm) , framed w 18 1/4" x h 20 1/4" (46,5 x 51,5 cm).

Condition: very good.