Artwork
Saint Jerome in Penitence
Saint Jerome in Penitence is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist El Greco. It dates from 1599 and is held in the collection of the National Galleries Scotland.
About this work
Overview
Saint Jerome in Penitence is a 1599 oil painting by El Greco, depicting a religious scene. It is now held at the Scottish National Gallery.
Subject & Meaning
The painting shows Saint Jerome, an older man with a long white beard, sitting with a book and cross. A skull and hourglass nearby symbolize mortality, while a red shield with a face is tucked under his arm, adding to the symbolic context.
Technique & Style
The artist employed chiaroscuro, using deep shadows and bright highlights to create a three-dimensional effect on the subject's skin and clothes, adding depth to the scene.
Artist & collection
Artist
Doménikos Theotokópoulos was born in 1541 in Candia (modern Heraklion), the capital of Venetian-ruled Crete, where he was trained in the post-Byzantine tradition of icon painting.
