Who painted A Monk [verso]?

A Monk [verso] was painted by Fra Bartolommeo in 1500.

Where can I see A Monk [verso]?

A Monk [verso] is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is A Monk [verso]?

A Monk [verso] is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

A Monk [verso]

Fra Bartolommeo , 1500

A Monk [verso] is an ink drawing by the Renaissance artist Fra Bartolommeo. It dates from 1500 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created around the turn of the sixteenth century, this drawing is attributed to the Florentine painter Fra Bartolommeo. Executed on laid paper with pen, brown ink and a brown wash, the work is further enriched by white highlights, possibly applied over black chalk. The composition presents a solitary monk in a moment of devotion, rendered in a modest, monochromatic palette.

Subject & Meaning

The figure is a monk bent forward, hands clasped tightly in prayer, his head lowered in reverence. The simplicity of the pose and the unadorned background focus attention on the act of contemplation, suggesting an emphasis on personal piety rather than narrative detail.

Technique & Style

Fra Bartolommeo employs swift, gestural lines to delineate the monk’s posture and the drapery’s folds, while cross‑hatching builds tonal depth. The brown wash creates a warm, muted atmosphere, and selective white accents bring out highlights on the fabric and hands, enhancing the three‑dimensional effect.

History & Provenance

The drawing, dated circa 1500, is known from the verso side of a sheet that also bears another study. Its attribution to Fra Bartolommeo rests on stylistic comparison with his early works and on historical documentation linking the artist to devotional sketches of monastic subjects.