Artwork
Sfântul Ieronim
Sfântul Ieronim is a print by the Baroque artist Johann Carl Loth. It dates from 1689 and is held in the collection of the National Museum of Art of Romania.
About this work
Overview
A red cloth is wrapped around his waist, and his torso is turned slightly toward the viewer’s right, creating a subtle sense of movement within the stillness.
Johann Carl Loth’s oil painting, dated around 1689, portrays Saint Jerome seated in a dimly lit interior. The saint is positioned with his right hand placed over his chest and his left hand supporting an open book, his gaze directed downward. A red cloth is wrapped around his waist, and his torso is turned slightly toward the viewer’s right, creating a subtle sense of movement within the stillness.
Subject & Meaning
The work identifies the early Christian scholar and translator Saint Jerome, renowned for rendering the Bible into Latin. His contemplative pose, furrowed brow, and downward stare suggest a moment of scholarly reflection or penitence, echoing the saint’s reputation for ascetic devotion and intellectual labor.
Technique & Style
Loth employs a pronounced chiaroscuro, allowing a narrow beam of light to illuminate the saint’s face and upper body against a predominantly dark background. This contrast enhances the three‑dimensionality of the figure, emphasizing the texture of the red cloth and the volume of the book, while also intensifying the painting’s solemn atmosphere.
History & Provenance
Created in the late 17th century, the painting reflects Loth’s activity in the German and Italian artistic circles of the period. Although specific ownership records are sparse, the work has been catalogued among Loth’s religious commissions and is recognized as part of his later oeuvre, dating to approximately 1689.
Artist & collection
