''Saint Jerome in His Study'' is an
oil painting on panel attributed to the workshop of the
early Netherlandish painter
Jan van Eyck
Jan van Eyck ( , ; – July 9, 1441) was a painter active in Bruges who was one of the early innovators of what became known as Early Netherlandish painting, and one of the most significant representatives of Early Northern Renaissance art. Ac ...
, dated to 1442 (the year after the master's death) and now in the
Detroit Institute of Arts,
Detroit.
History
Since the date on the painting is subsequent to Jan van Eyck's death (June 1441), it is likely that the work, left unfinished, had been completed by members of his workshop, or his brother Lambert.
A work with a similar subject is mentioned in the inventories of
Palazzo Medici
The Palazzo Medici, also called the Palazzo Medici Riccardi after the later family that acquired and expanded it, is a Renaissance palace located in Florence, Italy. It is the seat of the Metropolitan City of Florence and a museum.
Overview
T ...
in
Florence, which had been drawn up after the death of
Lorenzo de' Medici in 1492. Even if not the work now at Detroit, this could have been the latter's prototype, since the painting is not unanimously attributed to van Eyck. There are indeed striking similarities between this work and
Domenico Ghirlandaio
Domenico di Tommaso Curradi di Doffo Bigordi (, , ; 2 June 1448 – 11 January 1494), professionally known as Domenico Ghirlandaio, also spelled as Ghirlandajo, was an Italian Renaissance painter born in Florence. Ghirlandaio was part of ...
's
''Saint Jerome in His Study'' (1480).
Description
The painting depicts
Saint Jerome in the traditional representation inside his study. He wears a cardinal's dress and
hat, and is reading a book, in a small study clogged with numerous objects showing his erudition and interests. Below is a lion, recalling the saint's legend in which he had extracted a thorn from the paw of the animal, who had later remained loyal to him. The light enters from a window behind the writing desk and from the foreground, in order to illuminate any detail of the scene. Objects on the desk and the shelves include an
hourglass
An hourglass (or sandglass, sand timer, sand clock or egg timer) is a device used to measure the passage of time. It comprises two glass bulbs connected vertically by a narrow neck that allows a regulated flow of a substance (historically sand) ...
, a
pounce pot
Pounce or sand is a fine powder, most often made from powdered cuttlefish bone or sandarac resin, that was used both to dry ink and to sprinkle on a rough writing surface to make it smooth enough for writing. This was especially needed if the p ...
, a
ruler, an
astrolabe
An astrolabe ( grc, ἀστρολάβος ; ar, ٱلأَسْطُرلاب ; persian, ستارهیاب ) is an ancient astronomical instrument that was a handheld model of the universe. Its various functions also make it an elaborate inclin ...
, numerous
books and writing instruments, all suitable for the idealized
Renaissance man.
See also
*
''Saint Jerome in His Study'' (Ghirlandaio)
*
St Jerome in His Study (Antonello da Messina)
''St Jerome in His Study'' is a painting by the Italian Renaissance master Antonello da Messina. The painting depicts human, natural, and divine knowledge, and is filled with architectural qualities. It was the property of Antonio Pasqualino, Th ...
Sources
*
{{Authority control
1442 paintings
Paintings by Jan van Eyck
Paintings in the collection of the Detroit Institute of Arts
Lions in art
Van Eyck
Books in art