Bernhard Keilhau, Monsù Bernardo

Few other 17th century painters were so widely traveled as the Danish artist Bernhard Keilhau, called Monsù Bernardo. Following his artistic training in Copenhagen, he began working in Rembrandt's studio, and is known to have owned a studio of his own in Amsterdam just a few years later in 1643. He traveled around Germany from 1650 - 1651 and settled in Venice shortly after. Before opening his final studio in Rome in 1655, he is known to have spent time in Milan, Bergamo and Ravenna.

Keilhau specialized in figures, usually depicting characters from the Italian lower classes, like craftsmen, peasants and travelers. His color palette is dominated by the earthy tones th...