Saint Jerome in His Study by Vincenzo Catena

Saint Jerome in His Study c. 1513 - 1515

animal

11_renaissance

oil painting

jesus-christ

portrait reference

acrylic on canvas

animal portrait

13_16th-century

animal drawing portrait

portrait drawing

facial portrait

portrait art

fine art portrait

digital portrait

Vincenzo Catena's "Saint Jerome in His Study" (c. 1513 - 1515) depicts the influential Church Father and scholar Saint Jerome engrossed in his work. The painting, now in the Städel Museum, showcases the artistic style of the Venetian Renaissance. Catena expertly captures the contemplative atmosphere of Jerome's study, with intricate details like bookshelves filled with volumes and a crucifix visible through a window. The composition emphasizes the figure of Jerome, seated at his desk, bathed in soft light, and reflecting on his theological writings. This masterpiece exemplifies the humanist ideal of the period, valuing intellect and scholarship, while also highlighting the saint's devotion and spiritual commitment.

Comments

stadelmuseum over 1 year ago

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This painting by the Venetian painter Vincenzo Catena is characterised by the emphasis on the representation of space and the lack of an active narrative. As a result, the depicted objects appear almost like elements in a still life. The Church Father Jerome is shown not writing but engrossed in his reading, his head supported by his bent arm. Analogous to the concept of the picture as a window onto the world, the space has been laid out using central perspective, and is not a "study" but is opened up through the view into the landscape, in front of which the Crucifix rises in silhouette.