St Jerome (c.1635) by Guido Reni

St Jerome - Guido Reni - c.1635

Artwork Information

TitleSt Jerome
ArtistGuido Reni
Datec.1635
Mediumoil,canvas
Dimensions238 x 278 cm
Art MovementBaroque
Current LocationKunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria

About St Jerome

The artwork titled “St Jerome,” created by the artist Guido Reni circa 1635, is an oil on canvas religious painting reflecting the Baroque art movement. With dimensions of 238 by 278 cm, this grand work is housed at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, Austria. It captures a scene of religious contemplation and devotion, characteristic of the Baroque period’s emphasis on emotional intensity and dramatic expression.

In the artwork, St Jerome is depicted as an aged, bearded man gazing heavenward with an expression of fervent attention and spiritual rapture. His muscular form, accentuated by the fall of light, reveals a blend of physical strength and ascetic emaciation, typical of representations of religious figures in solitude. The drapery of a vivid red cloak wraps around his lower body and cascades to the ground, infusing the scene with a rich, warm color that contrasts sharply with his pale skin and the cool, shadowed tones of the rocky cave surrounding him.

An angel with delicate wings delicately touches St Jerome’s shoulder, directing his gaze upwards, suggesting divine inspiration or an apparition. The saint holds a quill and a book, symbols of his scholarly pursuits, and the stone in his other hand is emblematic of his penitential practices. To the lower right, partly hidden in shadow, a lion rests—a frequent attribute of St Jerome in iconography, alluding to a particular legend associated with the saint.

With powerful contrasts of light and shade and the dynamic folds of the cloak, Reni infuses the composition with a sense of movement and drama. The artwork’s emotional intensity, combined with its technical execution, embodies the spirit of the Baroque period, drawing the viewer into a moment of profound religious experience.

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