Saint Jerome in Penitence

During the 15th and 16th centuries, these kinds of small- and medium-sized paintings depicting religious themes were often used in private devotion. The devout viewer found in them a spiritual model that acted as a guide for their behavior and piety. Saint Jerome was one of the most popular saints, and images such as this one became very common in northern Europe from the second half of the 15th century. The painting depicts Saint Jerome in penitence, without his cardinal’s robes and accompanied by the lion he helped. He is kneeling before an image of Christ crucified, holding a rock and a three-tailed whip with which he has been beating himself. The dramatic nature of the scene contrasts with the beauty of the landscape and its delicate details, such as the precious stones dotting the riverbank. These are the jewels which, according to the Bible, were swept along by the river Pishon, one of the four rivers of Paradise.