In the Convent of Sant’Antonio in Amalfi
Peder Mønsted, 1925, oil on canvas, cm 51x71
(1859 – 1941)
An heir to the great tradition of Danish painting, Peder Mønsted was a tireless traveler, captivated by Mediterranean light since his stay in Capri in 1882. Following his apprenticeship in Paris under Bouguereau, the artist chose the Amalfi Coast as his favored destination. In this 1925 canvas, Mønsted portrays the cloister of Sant’Antonio in Amalfi with meticulous detail: the carved capitals and the lush flowers frame the figure of a friar absorbed in reading. The work bears witness to the transition from an academic and purist training toward a sensibility influenced by a language, capable of conveying the tranquility of the setting through a luminous and vibrant vision.
