Saint Jerome in the Desert

Image credit: The National Gallery, London

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Saint Jerome, a fourth-century Christian scholar and hermit, is seated in a nocturnal landscape, absorbed in the book that lies open on his lap. He is celebrated for producing what is considered to be the first Latin translation of the Bible, known as the Vulgate. He spent four years living as a hermit in the desert, accompanied only by a lion. It lies quietly at his feet in this painting, light catching the glint of its eyes and nose.

Saint Jerome was a popular subject in Italian painting and is often depicted as a penitent in the desert, half-naked and lost in study or contemplation. This composition focuses our attention on Jerome, whose pale body gleams in the dark landscape. He is surrounded by his traditional attributes: a rock, with which he beat his breast in penitence; a crucifix, the focus of his meditation on Christ’s suffering; and a skull, which acts as a reminder of human mortality.

The National Gallery, London

London

Title

Saint Jerome in the Desert

Date

1710-20

Medium

Oil on canvas

Measurements

H 87 x W 66.6 cm

Accession number

NG6345

Acquisition method

Bought, 1963

Work type

Painting

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The National Gallery, London

Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England

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