Saint Jerome in Penitence
Medium
Oil on panel
Dimensions
34.2 × 25.3 cm (13 1/2 × 10 in.)
Classification
painting
Department
Painting and Sculpture of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
236975
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Saint Jerome, known for translating the Bible into Latin, was a popular subject for paintings in the Renaissance, a period of renewed interest in secular and religious learning. Artists typically depicted him as a scholar in his study or as an ascetic in the wilderness, but this portrait-like image combines both themes. The books before him on the desk suggest his learned character, while the crucifix and skull he contemplates as he beats his breast with a rock evoke his hermetic activities. The...