Saint Jerome

Oil on canvas

85 x 68

In frame 100 x 82 cm.

A fine portrait of Saint Jerome, Doctor of the Church who lived between the 4th and 5th centuries, immortalised here in the typical iconography that shows him in his dual role as a penitent hermit in the desert and a humanist intent on reading, in a desert and wild landscape.

This multifaceted figure of Saint Jerome was very popular in Lombardy between the 15th and 16th centuries, a supreme example of the harmony between classical knowledge and Christian virtue. He therefore became a subject dear to a refined and cultured public, often illustrated in small works intended for private devotion.

We see him with an intense and thoughtful gaze, turned towards the crucifix, his canonical iconographic attribute and symbol of his penance in the desert, while he beats his chest with a stone.

Next to him is the lion, symbol of tamed passions but also of his spiritual strength, and the skull, “memento mori” (remember that you must die), alluding to the passing of time and emphasising the transience of earthly life. His cardinal's hat hangs nearby, recalling his role as Doctor of the Church and translator of the Bible.

This is a work of excellent quality in terms of its illustrative clarity, pictorial refinement and chromatic sensitivity, suggesting that it was executed in the Lombardy area around the end of the 16th century, and specifically indebted to the models created by Alessandro Bonvicino, known as Il Moretto (Brescia, c. 1498 - 1554), one of the leading artists of the early Renaissance in Brescia.

Devotional paintings such as this were among Bonvicino's most important works, and the fact that there are no strictly analogous images suggests that the canvas should be included in the highly complex catalogue of works produced by the workshop, presumably under the supervision of the master himself. The work shows a strong Venetian influence: both the pictorial style and the colouring, dominated by the bright green of the drapery enveloping the saint, are elements that recall the works of Titian.

Behind St Jerome, there is a wide hilly landscape with a clear sky dotted with a few clouds, characterised by a vivid blue, typical of the Brescian artist.

The figure of Saint Jerome appears frequently in the painter's works in a variety of styles: in particular, the chromatic, luminous and tonal intonation of the image is reminiscent of Saint Jerome in Meditation from the Liechtenstein Museum collection (inv. GE 313, oil on panel, 39 × 31 cm, URL: https://www.liechtensteincollections.at/sammlungen-online/der-heilige-hieronymus4 , image 1)

Other works in his catalogue with this subject include Saint Jerome from the Borromeo collection on Isola Bella, datable between 1540 and 1545 (image 2 - https://www.lombardiabeniculturali.it/ opere-arte/schede/C0050-00086/), or in the Madonna and Child with Saint Jerome from a private collection (fig. 3 - https://it.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Madonna_con_bambino_e_san_Girolamo.jpg )

The figure, face and posture evoke Saint Mark the Evangelist in the Old Cathedral in Brescia (image 4 - https://catalogo.beniculturali.it/detail/HistoricOrArtisticProperty/0300044732 ).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The images were taken using a professional photographic set and lighting.

The painting is sold complete with a beautiful frame and comes with a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic card.

If the work is purchased by non-British customers, an export permit will be required, which takes approximately 10-20 days to obtain. Our gallery will take care of the entire process until the permit is obtained. All costs for this procedure are included.

We take care of and organise the transport of purchased works, both in the UK and abroad, using professional and insured carriers.

If you would like to see this or other works in person, we would be delighted to welcome you to our new gallery in Riva del Garda, at Viale Giuseppe Canella 18. We look forward to seeing you!

Please contact us for any information or to arrange a visit, we will be happy to assist you.

Follow us on: