Jusepe de Ribera paints the Saint Jerome
Historical Date:
Wed, 01/01/1648
Timeline Image:
Saint Jerome was the favorite subject of Jusepe de Ribera, whose depictions of the saint are distinguished by their quality as well as their number. The present picture belongs to a group of seven paintings of the penitent saint executed by Ribera in the last years of his life. Jerome, the patron saint of Cardinals, is clad in red. A Doctor of the Latin Church who left Rome for Palestine, Jerome is presented here as a hermit, carrying only a cross and a skull. In this tightly composed half-length subject, the saint casts his eyes skyward, towards the unseen light source that models his sagging skin.
Jusepe de Ribera. Penitent Saint Jerome, 1648. Oil on canvas. Pérez Simón Collection.
