Saint Jerome in His Study

Saint Jerome in His Study by Albrecht Dürer, created in 1514, is one of the German master's most celebrated engravings. This highly detailed print exemplifies Dürer's revolutionary approach to the medium, demonstrating unprecedented control over line work, texture, and the manipulation of subtle light effects. As one of Dürer’s “Master Engravings,” the work solidified his reputation as the preeminent graphic artist of the Northern Renaissance, establishing a benchmark for the complexity and quality achievable in prints.

The composition depicts Saint Jerome, the scholar and translator of the Latin Vulgate Bible, situated within a quiet, meticulously rendered interior study. Jerome is absorbed in reading or writing at his desk, reflecting the period's emphasis on Humanist scholarship. The meticulously organized interiors are flooded with sunlight streaming through rondels in the leaded windows, illuminating various symbolic objects crucial to the scene, such as an hourglass and a skull resting on the windowsill.

Traditional attributes accompany the saint: a small, alert terrier dog rests nearby, representing fidelity and companionship, while the legendary lion, whom Jerome reputedly befriended, sleeps peacefully in the foreground. The profound atmosphere of scholarly reflection achieved by Dürer in this piece contrasts sharply with the intensity of his other works from the same period. Today, this iconic representation of contemplative devotion is preserved within the distinguished collection of prints at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains a cornerstone of Renaissance graphic art history.