From the rooftop of the world

My friend Gadi visited Tibet and took a picture of a monk he saw there. I saw the picture and was immediately struck by the youthfulnness and innocence of this young monk. He was looking straight into the camera with a relaxed half-smile. No pretensions, no posing. He must be around 17 years old and already have committed his whole life to a monastery. He doesn't worry about material wealth or other worldly matters, just his quest to lead a righteous life.
In this painting, I exaggerated the shadows and colors and as a result he looks older and more serious.

Tibetan monk
16 x 20 inches, oil on stretched canvas