Artwork
Saint Jerome
Saint Jerome is an unspecified painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Jusepe de Ribera. It dates from 1621 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Created in 1621 by Jusepe de Ribera, the work focuses entirely on the figure of the saint, adhering to the conventions of religious art from the period.
This religious painting depicts Saint Jerome as its sole main subject. Created in 1621 by Jusepe de Ribera, the work focuses entirely on the figure of the saint, adhering to the conventions of religious art from the period. The composition isolates Jerome, emphasizing his identity as a central figure of Christian devotion without the inclusion of secondary narrative elements or complex symbolic attributes in the available records. The piece serves as a focused representation of the saint, intended for contemplation within a religious context.
History & Provenance
Saint Jerome is held in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, as part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections. The work is catalogued as a painting by Jusepe de Ribera (or attributed to a follower of Ribera), dated 1621. No specific inventory or accession number is recorded in the available sources, and no exhibition history is documented.
Context
Critical reception of this depiction of Saint Jerome has been shaped by its attribution to a follower of Jusepe de Ribera, situating the work within the Spanish Baroque tradition while emphasizing its devotional intensity. Scholarship situates the painting firmly in Ribera’s late output circa 1621, reflecting his influence on religious imagery in 17th-century Europe, particularly through its emotional realism and chiaroscuro treatment characteristic of his style. The work’s placement in the Alte Pinakothek’s collection underscores its significance within Bavarian holdings of Spanish-influenced art, contributing to broader narratives of Counter-Reformation visual culture and the dissemination of Riberan aesthetics north of the Alps.
Its dimensions of 101 cm by 80.2 cm align with contemporary devotional panel formats, reinforcing its function as an object of private contemplation within the museum’s context.
Overview
Jusepe de Ribera's 'Saint Jerome' is a 1621 painting characteristic of the early Italian Baroque style, marked by dramatic realism.
Technique & Style
Ribera employed chiaroscuro, a strong contrast between light and dark, to accentuate the saint's rugged features and muscular form, creating a sense of realism.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jusepe de Ribera (Valencian:; baptised 17 February 1591 – 3 November 1652) was a Spanish painter and printmaker.
