Saint Jerome Reading

Alvise Vivarini

National Gallery of Art

This painting depicts an old man sitting on rocky ground, holding a red book in his thin arms and facing the right. He has pale skin, a long white beard, and a balding head, and he is wearing a light blue hooded cloak that envelops his body. A thin golden halo surrounds his head, and his bare feet are visible on the rocky ground. On the left are tall, rocky gray mountains with a large dark cave. A lion-like animal is partially visible at the mouth of the cave, looking out towards us. On the left is an open landscape with a light blue river winding into the distance with sand-colored banks and tall white and blue mountains in the distance under a white and blue, partially cloudy sky.