Heilige Hiëronymus 1632 - 1693

Editor: This is "Heilige Hiëronymus," or Saint Jerome, an engraving by Francois de Poilly dating between 1632 and 1693, currently held at the Rijksmuseum. The detail is astonishing. What particularly strikes me is the presence of the lion – its watchful gaze seems quite imposing. What do you make of this work? Curator: Considering the public role of art in the 17th century, this engraving tells us a great deal about the intended message. Think about Saint Jerome – he was responsible for translating the Bible into Latin. This was hugely influential to the Church’s power, its social control. How do you interpret the lion's presence in relation to that power? Editor: Hmm, the lion almost feels like a symbol of secular authority being tamed, or at least acknowledging, the power of religious scholarship and the church? Is that on the right track? Curator: Exactly! Consider the baroque period's emphasis on drama and emotional impact. Here, the sharp lines and intense shading underscore the importance of Jerome's intellectual labor, and thus the cultural importance of that labor for a largely illiterate populace, helping solidify social structures of the time. Who do you think this work was intended for? Editor: Educated individuals, perhaps? Or was it meant to be widely accessible, promoting specific religious and social ideas throughout society? Curator: It’s likely both. Engravings like these would be collected by the wealthy, demonstrating their taste and education. At the same time, affordable prints made the imagery accessible to a broader public, embedding the Church’s narratives in the collective consciousness. Editor: I hadn't fully appreciated how engravings like this were instruments for shaping public opinion back then. Curator: Precisely. Examining art within its historical context reveals its social and political function. Art is very rarely created in a vacuum!