St. Jerome Praying
1665
Medium
Engraving in black on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
Plate: 44.5 × 29.8 cm (17 9/16 × 11 3/4 in.); Sheet: 44.7 × 30.2 cm (17 5/8 × 11 15/16 in.)
Classification
engraving
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
32
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Penitent and disheveled, Jerome kneels in front of a crucifix and the Bible that he had translated into Latin. In his hand, he clutches the stone that he often used to beat his breast. Behind him, a skull peers out at the viewer, a reminder of the transience of life on earth. Other attributes of Jerome abound: the robe and hat in the foreground signify his appointment to the office of cardinal under Pope Damascus I, the glasses and book represent his learned character, and the lion in the distan...
About the Artist
Claude Mellan · 1598–1688
Claude Mellan (1598-1688) was a French draughtsman, engraver, and painter who became one of the most innovative printmakers of the French Baroque period. Born in Abbeville to a family of coppersmiths, Mellan rose to become Peintre et Graveur Ordinaire du Roi (Painter and Engraver in Ordinary to the King), achieving recognition for his extraordinary technical mastery. Mellan's artistic significanc...