This charming scene, besides being enjoyable to look at, has a number of details which add to our delight. A wizened old Franciscan friar is living alone in his hermitage out in the presumably German woods. He has come outside to water his garden, while there is a fire in his hearth inside. Three rabbits wait by his door, and a little deer is nosing his way towards our hermit. We think when he comes out, his woodland friends know that a snack may forthcoming, fresh from his fenced-in garden. Also, if you look, there is a stone staircase next to the deer, going up to where we do not know, but would like to. The giant stone outcropping next to the cabin is symbolic of his living on the Rock. Artist Ludwig Sckell (1833-1912) was a prolific German painter, very famous in his day, one of the great landscape painters of the 19th Century. He was actually born on a mountain, Lock Mountain in Bavaria, and his father was a famous horticulturist, Carl Ludwig Sckell. He spent most of his adult life in Munich, and was an honorary member of their Academy of Fine Arts. Our source, www.askart.com, says his work has “a hint of the Barbizon style,” which we’ll take their word for. Many of his paintings come under auction these days. “Der Einsiedler.” Oil on canvas. 55 x 46 cm. ** IMPORTANT ** THE IMAGE IS SMALLER THAN THE PAPER! There is a white border of about 0.5" inch for 5x7", 1.3" for 8.5x11", 1.6" for 11x14" pictures, or 1.75" for 13x17" , 16x20", 18x24" and 24x36". Inquire about special printing needs. Not much needs to be trimmed of the art to go to the edge on this print. Border sizes are Approx! Fine art printers do this because the images are almost never the same rectangular ratio of the standard paper sizes. It also gives the prints a finished look, and lets them look good in a frame without a matt. – Acid-free paper – Archival pigments, rated to last for generations. – Cardboard backer – Above story of the art – Enclosed in a tight-fitting, crystal clear bag. Thanks for your interest! Sue & John You might also enjoy original Catholic Art and Jewerly by me, Sue Kouma Johnson, here on Etsy at www.Etsy.com/shop/TreeOfHeaven Also, check out our Catholic Quote shop, where we are pairing authentic quotes from Saints with Art: www.Etsy.com/shop/CatholicQuote “In order to communicate the message entrusted to her by Christ, the Church needs art.” ~ St. Pope John Paul II Original image is out-of-copyright. Descriptive text and image alterations (hence the whole new image) © by Sue Kouma Johnson – Classic Catholic.