Artwork
The Vision of St Jerome
The Vision of St Jerome is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Ludovico Carracci. It dates from 1598 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
Ludovico Carracci’s oil painting *The Vision of St Jerome* was completed in 1598. Executed in Bologna during the early Baroque period, the work now belongs to the Statens Museum for Kunst. It presents a dramatic encounter between the saint and celestial beings, rendered with a stark contrast of light and darkness that foregrounds the figure’s emotional intensity.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on an elderly Jerome, reclined on the ground, his hand raised as if receiving a divine message. He clutches an open book, a traditional attribute of the scholar‑saint, while two angelic figures hover above—one gesturing toward him, the other emitting a faint glow—suggesting a moment of revelation or spiritual awakening.
Technique & Style
Carracci employs a loose, gestural brushwork that departs from the polished elegance of late Mannerism, favoring a more immediate, expressive handling of form. The painting relies on chiaroscuro, with deep shadows enveloping the background and a concentrated light source illuminating Jerome’s face and the angels, heightening the sense of a sudden, mystical vision.
History & Provenance
Created at the close of the sixteenth century, the canvas reflects Carracci’s role in the transition toward a more naturalistic Baroque aesthetic. After remaining in private collections for several centuries, the painting entered the holdings of Denmark’s national gallery, the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it is displayed as part of the museum’s Italian Baroque holdings.
Artist & collection
Artist
Ludovico (or Lodovico) Carracci ( kə-RAH-chee, UK also kə-RATCH-ee, Italian: ; 21 April 1555 – 13 November 1619) was an Italian early-Baroque painter, etcher, and printmaker from Bologna.
