The engraving St. Jerome in his Study (1514) depicts the scholar-saint in his study in a meditative state. Though Jerome shows a contemplative stillness, his active life is indicated as well: he holds a pen in his hand, translating Scripture into the Latin edition now known as the Vulgate. In the engraving, Dürer shows an ideal state of contemplative solitude, which appeals to Renaissance humanists. www.catholic-pages.com Lions also had many symbolic meanings, mostly to do with Christ, but also representing power, wisdom, justice, and mental holiness. The engraving St. Jerome in his Study (1514) depicts the scholar-saint in his study in a meditative state. Denis R. McNamara. Death of the physical body (symbolized by the skull) enabled one to be reborn at a higher level at which the spirit could rule. The engraving projects an atmosphere of intimate domesticity: the room is illuminated by a soft light, while St. Jerome works at his desk and his loyal companions, the lion and the dog, rest in the foreground. The initial stirrings of the Renaissance and its love of all things ancient had matured by the late 15th century, and Jerome held more than a pious interest to Renaissance thinkers. Saint Jerome in His Study (1480) Domenico Ghirlandaio (1449–1494) But the Church remembers him in the canon of saints as a scholar and translator of the Bible who exemplified a holiness of life worthy of emulation. Antonello uses many symbols throughout the painting. St. Jerome, ; feast day September 30), biblical translator and monastic leader, traditionally regarded as the most learned of the Latin Fathers. The study of inscriptions, known as epigraphy, not only interests modern art historians, but fascinated Renaissance humanists who cherished ancient languages and learning. Perhaps that is why the bird is depicted in a cage, to indicate that Jerome had the ability to focus his imagination and to control the human tendency to stray from purely spiritual activities. Interestingly enough, an open book also indicated the exposure of thoughts and feelings, and Jerome was known to be quite outspoken about his religious beliefs and opinions. A small paper on the shelf above the saint's hand reads in accurate Greek the phrase from Psalm 51: O God, have mercy on me according to your great pity. The full text of the article is here →, {{$parent.$parent.validationModel['duplicate']}}, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Jerome_in_His_Study_(Dürer), 1-{{getCurrentCount()}} out of {{getTotalCount()}}, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Jerome_in_His_Study_(Dürer), The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Death, Famine, Pestilence and War. Saint Jerome in His Study is a fresco by the Italian Renaissance painter Domenico Ghirlandaio, executed in 1480 and located in the church of Ognissanti, Florence. The gourd is also a symbol of transience: in the story of Jonah the gourd arose and perished in a night at God’s command. His translation and revision of the Latin New Testament and his version of the Old Testament became the standard text of the Bible in Western Europe. These prayers of repentance and lamentation suit the monk who lived a life of penance in the desert. The contrast between the engravings is highlighted through composition and lighting. 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. The full text of the article is here →, {{$parent.$parent.validationModel['duplicate']}}, Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, MI, US, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Jerome_in_His_Study_(after_van_Eyck), 1-{{getCurrentCount()}} out of {{getTotalCount()}}, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Jerome_in_His_Study_(after_van_Eyck), The Ghent Altarpiece. Considered one of the greatest biblical scholars, St. Jerome is the patron of translators, librarians and encyclopedists. © 1996-2019 Catholic Education Resource Center | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Sitemap. As in several other works by the Messinese painter, the main scene is accompanied by a host of details, that have points of contact with the contemporary Flemish school: books, animals, objects, all painted with a magnificent taste for detail and "optical truth". Domenico Ghirlandaio (1449–94) was a painter active during the Italian Renaissance. However, the peacock generally symbolizes immortality, and the partridge is an ambivalent reference to truth/deceit. Saint Jerome in his Study inscribed 'HOMO BVLLA' ('Man is a Bubble') (upper edge), the bible with a text from Saint Matthew, the sheet below with part of the Lord's Prayer oil on panel 23 7/8 x … Jean Chevalier and Alain Gheerbrant, Medieval & Renaissance Studies at Vassar College. In the Bible, the plant is mentioned in the Book of Jonah, where God prepared a gourd to give Jonah shade, to help relieve him from his grief. Later centuries praised him for his intellectual rigor, and Ghirlandaio's painting is filled not only with books, but also with pieces of text on scrolls and bits of paper pinned here and there, displaying the ancient languages Jerome mastered in order to translate the Scriptures. Adoration of the Lamb (detail), The Arnolfini Wedding. 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