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St Benedict and the True King Totila

Edward Kaiser

1872

paint

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century

Dominant colour

St Benedict and the True King Totila is a 1872 paint by Edward Kaiser, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Edward Kaiser
When & what style?: 1872 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This painting shows a group of robed monks in white standing outside a building, facing a line of armored knights and soldiers. The knights wear shiny metal armor and colorful capes, while the monks look calm. In the background, a landscape with trees, a river, and a distant town stretches out under a clear sky. The monks and knights seem to be meeting in an open courtyard, with one monk holding a staff and another gesturing toward the soldiers. The colors are bright but balanced, with the monks’ white robes standing out against the knights’ darker armor. Look up Edward Kaiser to see how he blended different art styles in this work.

The story of this work

Overview

A watercolour copy of the painting *St Benedict and the True King Totila* was made by Eduard Kaiser in 1872, with an inscription in ink reading "EDUARD KAISER." The work was created for the Arundel Society but was never published.

Read the full account in the museum source.