Saint Jerome in the Desert, from Landscapes with Biblical Subjects and Saints
c. 1562
Medium
Etching on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
Plate: 22.8 × 32.1 cm (9 × 12 11/16 in.); sheet: 27.3 × 37 cm (10 3/4 × 14 5/8 in.)
Classification
etching
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
268124
Art Historical Context
In the bustling printmaking hub of 16th-century Antwerp, Johannes van Doetecum crafted *Saint Jerome in the Desert*, part of his series *Landscapes with Biblical Subjects and Saints* around 1562. As a leading Dutch engraver and etcher, van Doetecum—often working with his brother Lucas—helped pioneer intricate reproductive prints that brought grand designs to wider audiences. This etching captures the ascetic saint Jerome, a beloved figure in Christian tradition, meditating in a rugged wilderness, symbolizing penance and scholarly devotion amid natural splendor. Etched on delicate ivory laid p...