St. Jerome in the Wildrness

St Jerome is depicted on his knees in the wilderness in an attitude of penance and prayer. From about 374 A.D. St Jerome spent several years among the hermits in the Syrian Desert east of Antioch. The landscape setting created by the artist is closer to that of Europe rather than Syria. Although the office of Cardinal did not exist during St Jerome’s lifetime he is often depicted as a cardinal because of his close association with Pope St Damasus I. In this painting he wears a blue inner garment whilst his red Cardinal's hat and outer robe hang on a tree to the left.