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Saint Jerome

Saint Jerome
 (1631)

Medium
etching and drypoint
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Felton Bequest, 1961
Gallery location
Not on display
 

About this work

In this engraving, Jan Lievens depicts St Jerome seated within a cave. Behind him, a cardinal’s galero hangs from the rockface. According to the Golden Legend – a compendium of saints’ lives that was highly influential during the late Middle Ages – St Jerome is falsely said to have been ordained a cardinal priest in Rome. In reality, the title of cardinal did not exist during the saint’s lifetime. As a result of this text, St Jerome is often portrayed in cardinal’s robes or, as seen here, with a cast-aside cardinal’s hat. The latter trope symbolises the saint’s humility, having abandoned Rome for a life of penance in the desert.

Artwork Details

Medium
etching and drypoint
Measurements
31.6 × 26.7 cm (image and sheet, trimmed within platemark) 43.6 × 31.8 cm (support)
Catalogue/s Raisonné
Hollstein 15 i/v
Edition
1st of 5 states
Inscription
printed in ink (in image) l.c.l.: IL
Accession Number
991-5
Departments
International Prints / International Prints and Drawings
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Felton Bequest, 1961
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of the Joe White Bequest
Gallery location
Not on display
Subjects (general)
Human Figures Religion and Mythology
Subjects (specific)
caves darkness halos (glories) hermits Jerome, Saint praying Saint Jerome in the Wilderness (Christian iconography) saints
Movements
Baroque

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