Saint Jerome in Penitence before a Rustic Church

North Italian (Veneto) 16th Century

National Gallery of Art

This rectangular relief depicts a bearded man in a kneeling pose, with a muscular, bare chest, holding a flowing cloth around his waist. He is holding a round object in the other hand, and faces the right, his mouth slightly open. A lion rests beside him, with a detailed mane. To the right, there is a grouping of stone slabs or ruins next to the man, one of which hosts a human skull. The background features a building with a domed roof and a tall tower set amidst trees. The sculpture is a rich, brownish hue.