St. Jerome

Jan Lievens

Cleveland Museum of Art

The image depicts St. Jerome sitting in a dimly lit cave. St. Jerome is shown as a thin, aged man with a long beard and long hair, wearing a simple cloth around his waist. He sits on a rock or pile of straw with his right leg bent and left leg stretched out. His head is bowed down and his hands are clasped around a crucifix with a skull on top. A halo of light radiates from behind his head. To his left is a skull on the ground and what appears to be a pile of straw or a rug. Behind him to the right is a tree branch. On a ledge to his right are a book and a vase. In the background, there is a window and what appears to be a hanging hat. The overall atmosphere is dark and contemplative. The image is a black and white drawing with intense lines and shading. The title of the piece is "St. Jerome" and the artist is Jan Lievens.