St Jerome in his study
1535
unspecified
From the collection of Rijksmuseum
1535
unspecified
From the collection of Rijksmuseum
St Jerome in his study is a 1535 unspecified by Unknown, a mannerism work, held at Rijksmuseum.
A man sits at a wooden desk covered with books, papers, and a skull. He points to the skull with one hand while holding a book open to a tiny picture of the Last Judgment. A candle, a cross, and a cardinal’s red hat hang on the wall behind him. This painting is a copy of an earlier work now in Madrid. The original was famous enough that artists kept recreating it, like a 16th-century meme. The skull and candle remind viewers that life is short—even for someone surrounded by knowledge. Look up the version at the Rijksmuseum to see how small details change between copies.
