19th century, Carthusian cloister

19th century Carthusian cloister Oil on canvas, 18 x 24 cm With frame, 38 x 43 cm Signed and dated: D. 02     The small work depicts a cloister with Gothic forms under whose porticoes one can see the figures of some monks in religious garb who could be identified as belonging to the Carthusian order, given the robes and the white hood typical of this order. The vaults and pointed arches, the pinnacle in the building on the left side, together with the mullioned windows, confirm the architectural style of the monastery, of which one can also observe the internal garden with two Carthusians. On the support base of the first column on the left, one can read the number 02, referring to the date of the painting, i.e., 1802, preceded by a dot and the letter D, the initial with which the unknown painter of this work signs. The style falls within that of landscape painting that developed in Europe during the 19th century, while from a geographical point of view, it could be deduced that the monastery is located in Italy, given the suppressions carried out in France also concerning the Carthusian order. The warm colors of the sunset ignite the walls of the portico, creating games of a soft chiaroscuro with the shaded parts through thin brushstrokes, also used for the quick and summary, yet precise, rendering of the monks. The setting tells of a placid moment of everyday life inside the monastery, a place already dedicated to peace and a symbol of a spiritual purity that, at least in Italy, will be reconsidered throughout the 19th century following the suppressions and spoliations of religious institutions.