St. Jerome in the Desert (Bellini, Birmingham)

St. Jerome in the Desert
ArtistGiovanni Bellini
Yearc. 1450
Mediumegg tempera on wood
Dimensions44 cm × 39 cm (17 in × 15 in)
LocationBarber Institute of Fine Arts, Birmingham

St. Jerome in the Desert is an egg tempera painting on wood by the Italian Renaissance artist Giovanni Bellini, dating from around 1450. It is housed in the Barber Institute of Fine Arts in Birmingham, England.[1]

Universally recognised as Bellini's earliest surviving work, created when he was about 16,[2][3] the painting depicts Saint Jerome seated semi-naked on a rock in front of his cave in the Syrian Desert. He holds a book in his left hand, referencing his life as a hermit and his role in producing the Vulgate Bible. His faithful lion is depicted in front of him, with the saint appearing to bless the animal. The lion retains the famous thorn on his paw, which according to the legend was removed by Jerome.[4][5]

References

  1. ^ Verdi, R. (2005). The Barber Institute of Fine Arts: The University of Birmingham. Scala. ISBN 978-1-85759-373-0. Retrieved 15 April 2019. ... Bellini studied in the workshop of his father, Jacopo, where he probably painted this small panel, which is universally regarded as his earliest ...
  2. ^ Andrews, M. (1999). Landscape and Western Art. Oxford University Press. p. 36. ISBN 978-0-19-284233-6. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  3. ^ Humfrey, P. (2008). The Cambridge Companion to Giovanni Bellini. Cambridge Companions to the History of Art. Cambridge University Press. p. 168. ISBN 978-0-521-72855-3. Retrieved 15 April 2019. In the case of Bellini, it is almost inevitable that his landscapes should be suffused with the figures and concepts of Christian devotion. In the Birmingham picture, Jerome and the lion are the protagonists of the story ...
  4. ^ Gasparotto, D. (2017). Giovanni Bellini: Landscapes of Faith in Renaissance Venice. J. Paul Getty Museum. p. 61. ISBN 978-1-60606-531-0. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
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