Saint Jerome beside a Pollard Willow 1648

Curator: Look at this etching by Rembrandt van Rijn, "Saint Jerome beside a Pollard Willow." It's part of the collection at the Harvard Art Museums. What do you make of it? Editor: The gnarly tree takes up so much space, it's almost overwhelming, a dark, twisting presence. The saint feels secondary, lost in the landscape. Curator: Indeed. Rembrandt's mastery of light and shadow is on full display. Note how the stark lines create a sense of depth and texture, almost obscuring Jerome in contemplation. Editor: And the lion! Tucked away, peeking out as if complicit in Jerome's solitude. It's like the wilderness itself is a character in this quiet drama, isn't it? Curator: Absolutely, the print transforms the traditional image of St. Jerome into a meditation on nature and the spiritual life. Editor: It's a beautiful reminder that even in stillness, there's a whole world breathing around us.