St. Jerome 1501 - 1504

Jacopo de' Barbari created this engraving of Saint Jerome sometime between 1497 and 1516. During this period, representing the human body was very important, but it was often idealized. Here, Saint Jerome is depicted as an old, frail man, seated at his desk, deeply absorbed in his work. His aged, almost emaciated body, draped in simple cloth, speaks to a life dedicated to scholarship and religious devotion, rather than physical pursuits. Note the placement of the caduceus, an ancient symbol often associated with medicine, near Jerome, who translated the bible. This rendering may reflect a deeper commentary on the values of the Renaissance, one that honors intellectual and spiritual labor over youth and beauty. Barbari invites us to find beauty and significance in the wisdom and experience etched onto Jerome's body. He presents an alternative narrative, one where aging and knowledge are sources of profound value.