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BERNHARD KEIL, CALLED MUNSÙ BERNARDO, A PAIR OF FARMERS EATING - THE SENSE OF TASTE A PAIR OF FARMERS EATING - THE SENSE OF TASTE Bernhard Keil (also Keyl, Keilhau), named Monsù Bernardo, was an artist with an unusual life story. He was born in Denmark, son of a German and a Flemish woman. He learnt to paint in Copenhagen and then travelled to Holland, where he was a pupil of Rembrandt for two years before opening a studio in Amsterdam in 1642. He travelled to Italy in 1651, after a few stays in German towns, before settling in Venice. This was followed by stays in Milan, Bergamo and Ravenna. From 1656 onwards he mainly resided in Rome, where he lived until the end of his life. During his years in Italy he mainly painted religious works and portraits, which were often sent to Vienna, France and Spain. However, he also made genre paintings, so-called "Bambocciades", or scenes of life in Italy, which were also hugely popular. Minna Heimbürger recognises the characteristic colour scheme and style of composition of Keil's early Venetian ouevre in this work. His paintings often had a double meaning, in this case a depiction of the five senses. She dates the work to circa 1652.