Artwork
St Jerome in Penitence
St Jerome in Penitence is a print by the Northern Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer. It dates from 1496 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
St Jerome in Penitence is a print by Albrecht Dürer, showcasing the artist's integration of naturalistic observations into his work.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts St Jerome kneeling in a landscape, surrounded by rocks and trees. Dürer's representation of the saint reflects the 15th-century veneration of Church Fathers and diverges from the traditional northern European depiction of Jerome working in his cell.
Technique & Style
Dürer's use of landscape is informed by his watercolour studies of quarries and cliffs around Nuremberg, among the earliest pure landscape studies in Western art. The contrast between light and dark in the print is a notable aspect of its composition.
History & Provenance
Dürer produced multiple prints and a painting of St Jerome during his career, with this print potentially influenced by Italian art he encountered during his travels. The subject of St Jerome in Penitence was introduced into Italian art around 1400.
Artist & collection
Artist
Albrecht Dürer spent his life in Nuremberg, a busy German city where artists traded prints like currency.
![Madonna and Child [obverse], by Albrecht Dürer](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/albrecht-durer--madonna-and-child-obverse--d7b8ebf05d22ebe5-w320.webp)
![Lot and His Daughters [reverse], by Albrecht Dürer](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/albrecht-durer--lot-and-his-daughters-reverse--b4ebf9b282faa17a-w320.webp)
