S. Jerome c. 18th century

Editor: This print, "S. Jerome" by John Alexander Gresse, depicts the saint in his study, with an angel appearing beside him. It feels like a moment of divine inspiration, but also, strangely, of human isolation. What catches your eye in this image? Curator: It's intriguing, isn't it? The stark contrast between the ethereal angel and Jerome's very earthly, almost weary posture. Notice how Gresse uses light – the way it illuminates Jerome's face, suggesting an inner illumination sparked by the angel's presence. Does the lion lurking at his feet suggest anything to you? Editor: Perhaps it's a symbol of Jerome's strength, or maybe even a representation of the wild, untamed world from which he's drawing wisdom? Curator: Precisely! It's a reminder that even in the most sacred spaces, the wild and the human intertwine. Gresse invites us to contemplate the tension between the divine and the mundane, the sacred and the secular. Editor: That’s a great way to think about it; I hadn't considered the lion's role in that tension. Curator: Art has its secrets, doesn’t it? You just have to be willing to listen.