Artwork
Een monnik met een glas in de hand in een kelder

Een monnik met een glas in de hand in een kelder is an oil painting by F. Taupel. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. F.
About this work
Overview
F. Taupel’s oil painting, dated around 1850, depicts a solitary monk holding a glass within a stone cellar. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and measures the interplay between a dim interior and a narrow shaft of light that highlights the figure’s face and the glass he bears.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure, a monk in a plain brown habit, stands before an arched doorway that opens onto the darkness beyond. The glass in his hand, illuminated by a left‑hand light source, invites speculation about ritual, contemplation, or simple sustenance, while the surrounding gloom suggests isolation or a moment of quiet reflection.
Technique & Style
Taupel employs chiaroscuro to separate the illuminated monk from the shadowy stone walls and floor. The contrast of bright, focused light against deep, muted tones creates a three‑dimensional sense of space, while the careful modeling of the monk’s features conveys a subtle, atmospheric mood.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1850, the painting entered the Rijksmuseum’s holdings at an unspecified date and has remained in the museum’s permanent collection. Its attribution to F. Taupel is consistent with the artist’s known activity in mid‑nineteenth‑century Dutch painting.
Artist & collection
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