Saint Jerome

Art Historical Context

This delicate engraving of Saint Jerome, created in the 19th century and attributed to Alois Petrak after Albrecht Dürer, captures the revered scholar and translator of the Bible in a compact circular format measuring just over an inch across. Dürer’s original compositions from the Northern Renaissance often portrayed Jerome alongside his legendary lion companion and symbols of faith such as the cross, themes that Petrak revisits here in a later interpretation suited to print collectors of the period. Engraving allowed artists to achieve remarkable precision in small spaces, making this work ideal for personal devotion or inclusion in print albums. The Metropolitan Museum’s acquisition through the Fletcher Fund highlights its value as a bridge between Renaissance iconography and 19th-century appreciation of earlier masters. The presence of the lion and cross underscores Jerome’s enduring role as a symbol of wisdom, penance, and Christian scholarship, inviting viewers to reflect on the timeless appeal of these devotional images.

About the Artist

Alois Petrak|Albrecht Dürer (Czech|German) · 1811 |1471 –1888 |1528

Czech, 1811–1888|German, Nuremberg 1471–1528 Nuremberg