This is the story of an extraordinary man and his marvellous destiny. When Albert Küchler (1803-1886) won the great gold medal at the Royal Danish Academy, he also secured the obligatory scholarship for an educational trip to Rome. The journey, which was to last a couple of years, lasted for the rest of his life!

Much to the surprise of his colleagues and the domestic cultural scene, he decided to convert to Catholicism and later became the world's only cigar-smoking Franciscan friar in the monastery of San Bonaventura on the Palatine Hill. After that, he painted only religious pictures and fell increasingly into oblivion.

Author Max Bendixen has followed in Küchler's footsteps in Rome - visiting the old, secretive monastery and a number of the painter's favourite places. This book provides the answer to why the intriguing artist suddenly chose an ascetic way of life behind thick monastery walls.