The Vision of St. Jerome

About this work

This engraving shows a dramatic scene with four figures. A robed woman holds a small child while sitting on a rocky ledge. Below her, a muscular man lies wounded, clutching a spear. Another figure kneels beside him, and a bearded man in the corner appears asleep or dead. The background includes a few plants and a cloudy sky with diagonal lines. Notice the way the artist uses tiny parallel lines to create shadows and textures—this is called cross-hatching. It gives the scene depth and makes the figures look three-dimensional. If you like this style, look up engraving to see how artists use lines to build light and shadow.