St. Jerome in His Study 1475

Antonello da Messina painted Saint Jerome in his Study in oil on wood panel. The real subject here is light. See how it models the saint, and floods the space with a sense of clarity. Oil paint allowed Antonello to build up layer upon layer of thin translucent glazes. This technique, learned from Jan van Eyck, gave the work an almost luminous quality. The image is rich in detail. Every surface, from the tiled floor to the stone architecture is rendered with precision. The artist has even depicted the texture of the saint's vellum book. Antonello’s emphasis on materials, making, and context expands our understanding, moving beyond traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.