Artwork
Saint Jerome
Saint Jerome is an unspecified painting by the High Renaissance artist Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano. It dates from 1498 and is held in the collection of the Uffizi Gallery.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1498, this oil painting portrays Saint Jerome seated on a rock amid a calm natural setting. The elderly saint, distinguished by his white beard and hair, wears a blue robe and holds an open book, while a skull rests nearby and a lion lies at his feet. The background opens onto a lake framed by distant mountains, lending depth and serenity to the composition.
Subject & Meaning
The work presents the traditional iconography of Jerome, the biblical scholar famed for translating the Bible into Latin. The skull serves as a memento mori, reminding viewers of mortality, while the lion references the legend of Jerome’s taming of a wild beast. The contemplative pose and quiet landscape underscore themes of scholarly devotion and spiritual reflection.
Technique & Style
Executed in the High Renaissance idiom, the painting displays Cima’s characteristic balance between figure and environment. Soft modeling of flesh and drapery is achieved through delicate chiaroscuro, while the atmospheric perspective in the distant hills creates a sense of spatial recession. The palette favors muted blues and earth tones, enhancing the tranquil mood.
History & Provenance
The canvas entered the collection of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, where it remains on display. It is one of several small-scale devotional works by Cima intended for private contemplation, reflecting the artist’s practice of producing intimate religious images for patrons.
Context
Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano worked in Venice during the late 15th century, a period marked by a heightened interest in integrating landscape into religious narrative. His oeuvre frequently combines serene natural settings with sacred figures, aligning with contemporary Venetian tastes for harmonious compositions that blend the divine and the earthly.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Giovanni Battista Cima da Conegliano
Giovanni Battista Cima, also called Cima da Conegliano (c. 1459 – c. 1517), was an Italian Renaissance painter, who mostly worked in Venice. He can be considered part of the Venetian school, though he was also…
