Saint Jerome
n.d.
Medium
Pen and brown ink, with brush and brown wash, over black chalk on brown laid paper
Dimensions
24.2 × 37.1 cm (9 9/16 × 14 5/8 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
82288
Art Historical Context
This drawing of Saint Jerome by Paolo de Matteis captures the revered scholar and translator of the Bible in a moment of contemplation. Rendered in pen and brown with brush and brown wash over black chalk on laid paper, the work highlights the saint’s traditional attributes through fluid, expressive lines. The medium allows for both precise detail and rich tonal shading, giving the figure a sense of volume and emotional depth within a compact format measuring just 24.2 by 37.1 centimeters. Such preparatory drawings were essential tools for Baroque artists like de Matteis, who used them to exp...