Artwork
The Vision of Saint Jerome
The Vision of Saint Jerome is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Jean Honoré Fragonard. It dates from 1764 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
The scene is dominated by a contorted, bearded figure clutching his chest while an angelic child hovers above, holding a cross and gesturing downward.
Jean‑Honoré Fragonard’s 1764 etching titled *The Vision of Saint Jerome* presents a dramatic, monochrome composition on laid paper. The scene is dominated by a contorted, bearded figure clutching his chest while an angelic child hovers above, holding a cross and gesturing downward. Swirling clouds and tangled foliage frame the figures, creating a sense of turbulence that contrasts with the angel’s serene expression.
Subject & Meaning
The work depicts Saint Jerome in a moment of spiritual crisis, suggested by his anguished posture and the angel’s intervening gesture. The cross the angel bears underscores the saint’s penitential devotion, while the chaotic background may symbolize the inner turmoil of conversion or revelation. The juxtaposition of suffering and divine calm invites contemplation of faith’s transformative power.
Technique & Style
Executed as an etching, Fragonard incised the image onto a copper plate, allowing for fine, expressive lines that render both the figure’s muscular tension and the ethereal quality of the angel. The use of laid paper enhances the texture of the print, while the stark black‑and‑white palette emphasizes contrast and heightens the emotional intensity of the scene.
History & Provenance
Created in the mid‑1760s, the print reflects Fragonard’s early engagement with religious subjects before his later fame as a Rococo painter. Although specific ownership records are scarce, the work has appeared in several 19th‑century catalogues of French prints and is now held in the collection of the Musée du Louvre, where it contributes to the broader understanding of the artist’s printmaking practice.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-Honoré Fragonard was born on 5 April 1732 in Grasse, the son of a glover, and moved with his family to Paris in 1738.
