Saint Jerome Hearing the Trumpet of the Last Judgment

Jusepe de Ribera

National Gallery of Art

The image depicts an elderly man seated on rocky terrain. He is slightly hunched forward, with his left elbow resting on a surface, and his right arm bent across his chest. The man's face appears gaunt, with deep-set eyes, unkempt curly hair, and a bushy beard. He is mostly unclothed, with only a draped cloth covering his lower body. Various objects surround him including a skull, a rolled scroll, and a piece of cloth or parchment. In the upper right corner, a heavenly figure is shown with only an arm visible, holding a trumpet pointed towards the man. The background shows a dramatic, cloud-filled sky.