Heilige Hieronymus in de grot 1560 - 1593

This engraving, Heilige Hieronymus in de grot, was created by Johann Sadeler I around the late 16th century. The print portrays Saint Jerome in a cave, a popular subject during the Counter-Reformation. Jerome, stripped bare, kneeling in the dirt, prepares to cast a stone at his own flesh. The composition includes traditional symbols such as the lion, a statue of the Virgin, and the discarded objects of worldly vanity. This is Jerome as a man in crisis. Consider the historical context: the rise of Protestantism challenged the Catholic Church's authority, leading to a period of introspection. Artists like Sadeler responded by creating images which promoted religious devotion, emphasizing themes of repentance, penance, and the rejection of earthly pleasures. How might the focus on male, specifically, saintly suffering, serve to reinforce existing gender roles within the Church? How does this depiction of the saint relate to contemporary issues of the body, desire, and religious identity?