Saint Jerome 18th-19th century

Editor: Let's talk about Francesco Bartolozzi’s “Saint Jerome," currently at the Harvard Art Museums. It looks like an etching or engraving. The scene feels so intimate, with the figures clustered together. What stands out to you about this work? Curator: It's the dreaminess, isn't it? Bartolozzi captures a tenderness, almost a private moment. The soft lines, the way the light seems to embrace the figures...it feels less like a formal depiction and more like a glimpse into a sacred, loving family scene. Notice how Jerome, often depicted as a solitary scholar, is surrounded by cherubs, a lion, and the Virgin Mary and child. What a lovely, imaginative reinterpretation! Editor: It is different than how I've seen Saint Jerome depicted, that's for sure. Thanks for pointing that out! Curator: My pleasure. It's these unexpected touches that make art so endlessly fascinating, don't you think?