Artwork
Penitent St Jerome
Penitent St Jerome is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Gaspar Rem. It dates from 1603 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work is classified within the genre of religious art, focusing on the spiritual narrative of the saint.
Gaspar Rem's 1603 painting depicts the figure of Jerome, a subject central to religious art traditions. The work is classified within the genre of religious art, focusing on the spiritual narrative of the saint. While the specific iconographic details such as the cardinal's hat or the lion are not enumerated in the provided records, the depiction identifies the subject clearly as Jerome.
The piece serves as a visual representation of the saint's life and penitence, consistent with the religious themes typical of early 17th-century European painting.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1603 by Gaspar Rem, this religious painting depicts the penitent Saint Jerome. The work is characterized by its specific material composition, utilizing oil paint applied directly onto a copper support. This choice of a metal panel rather than traditional canvas or wood was a known practice for achieving fine detail and luminosity in small-scale devotional images of the period.
The composition measures 35 cm in height and 26 cm in width, indicating an intimate format designed for close viewing. While the subject matter focuses on the ascetic figure of Jerome, the technical execution relies on the smooth, non-absorbent surface of the copper to facilitate the handling of the oil medium.
History & Provenance
The copper panel depicting the Penitent St Jerome is dated 1603 by the artist Gaspar Rem (c. 1575–1625), who is recorded as the sole creator of the work.
By the early seventeenth century the painting had entered the imperial collections in Vienna, where it is listed in the holdings of the Kunsthistorisches Museum by 1603. The panel remains in that museum’s collection, where it is catalogued as a work by Gaspar Rem on copper depicting the penitent Saint Jerome.
The painting Penitent St Jerome by Gaspar Rem, executed in 1603 on copper, is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum. While specific inventory or accession numbers are not provided in the available records, the work is officially cataloged within this institution's holdings. No exhibition history is documented in the provided sources.
Overview
Penitent St Jerome is a 1603 copper painting by Gaspar Rem, portraying the saint in a contemplative state within a rocky cave environment.
Context
The work reflects the early 17th-century artistic and religious climate, where depictions of saints in contemplative, natural settings were common. The use of copper as a medium was also characteristic of the period, particularly in Northern European art.
Legacy
While specific influences or direct artistic lineage are not widely documented, 'Penitent St Jerome' contributes to the broader tradition of Baroque religious art, notable for its emotional intensity and use of chiaroscuro.
Artist & collection
