St. Jerome (Schr. 1551m) 15th century

Editor: This woodcut, "St. Jerome", likely created in the 15th century by an anonymous artist, feels so busy! My eye bounces all over with the text, the crucifix, the lion… I’m drawn to the almost cartoonish quality of the rendering, which contrasts the solemn religious subject matter. What jumps out at you in terms of composition and structure? Curator: Formally, it is a fascinating confluence of flatness and depth. The lines create a distinct boundary; even the shading mimics the outlines. Note how the artist delineates space through this almost graphic construction – foreground, middle ground, background. Consider also how the text functions; not just as narrative, but as a dynamic compositional element, coiling around the saint. Editor: So, you are looking past the fact that it's a saint and more at how the components fit together? I keep getting stuck on the somewhat naive representation of perspective. Curator: Precisely! Forget, for a moment, about St. Jerome himself and observe the construction. Are we meant to accept that the lion exists on the same plane as the kneeling saint? Look at the lion; does its posture and execution indicate any understanding of anatomy? Consider also the contrast in execution – the text has crisp linearity, while the rendering of the landscape is much more abstract. Why might the artist adopt this juxtaposition? What kind of energy and dissonance does this tension provide? Editor: That makes sense, focusing on these formal choices that affect our viewing, rather than historical meanings. It changes how I approach the image; I now appreciate its deliberate use of varying styles. Thanks! Curator: Indeed. By closely analysing the stylistic incongruities and spatial rendering, one begins to grasp the print's visual and textual interplay; ultimately transforming one's appreciation for the artwork’s structural logic.