Hieronymus met twee engelen 1577

Cornelis Cort made this engraving, “Hieronymus met twee engelen,” sometime in the 16th century. At this time, depictions of saints, the life of Christ, and scenes from the Old Testament were incredibly popular. However, Cornelis Cort was working in the Netherlands during a time of great social upheaval as the Reformation challenged the Catholic Church’s dominance. In this context, the figure of St. Jerome, who translated the Bible into Latin, takes on renewed significance. By depicting Jerome with angels in a quiet, contemplative setting, Cort is commenting on the importance of both individual study and divine inspiration in understanding religious texts. In this way, the image subtly asserts the power of religious institutions while giving space to those who sought a more personal relationship with God. To understand this work better, one could research the history of the Reformation in the Netherlands, or examine the visual codes of earlier artistic depictions of St. Jerome. What is clear, though, is that art objects reflect these surrounding social and religious contexts.