In the context of this artwork, discuss the Detail of the Style.
A doorway in the form of a large low arch opens onto the cabinetry of Saint Jerome, best known for his translation of a large portion of the Bible into Latin (the translation that became known as the Vulgate) and his commentaries on the Gospels. His list of writings is extensive.In the painting, Jerome's study is shown as a raised room with three steps, set in a large Gothic building with a colonnade on the right. The room is lit by a complex use of light which, in the Flemish manner, comes from several sources: first from the central arch flow rays come in perspective directions, directing the viewer's gaze to Saint Jerome, particularly to his hands and book, giving the saint a particular stateliness. Then, from a series of apertures piercing the background wall; in particular from two windows in the lower half of the painting, which respectively illuminate a room on the left and the colonnade on the right in chiaroscuro, and three trefoil windows illuminating the vaults. Despite the complexity, the light manages to produce a unified effect, linking the different parts of the panel, thanks also to the solid perspective construction. The richness of the details is also reminiscent of the Flemish manner, with the careful description of the individual objects and their specific 'lustre', i.e. the way each surface refracts light.
The presence of the outer frame is a compositional expedient, present in Flemish art but also cited by Leon Battista Alberti, to objectify the space of the representation, distancing it and distinguishing it from the spectator. The "cell" of the writing desk appears perfectly organised, with its furniture, shelves, and other minute objects, such as the majolica vases for herbs. The open books on the shelves seem to be arranged in this way to measure the depth of the recess. The geometrically tiled floor appears to be a veritable tour de force of perspective, perfect in its geometric definition and the play of light and shadow that varies according to the source of illumination. It is possible he was influenced by De Prospectiva pingendi published around that time.
In the foreground, on the left, the partridge alludes to the Truth of Christ, while the peacock recalls the Church and divine omniscience. On the ledge on which the saint's desk sits, from the left is seen a cat and two potted plants: a boxwood, which alludes to faith in divine Salvation, and a geranium, a reference to the Passion of Christ. On the coffer to the right is a cardinal's hat.
The lion is less symbolic and alludes to the legend of Saint Jerome in the Wilderness when a limping lion came to him. He examined the injured foot and extracted the thorn he found there. This cured the foot and the lion stayed with St. Jerome until his death.Despite its small size, the painting has a striking effect due to the interplay of the light with the Gothic architecture as it highlights solids and voids, strikes the subject, and then flows outwards through the windows, revealing the manicured landscape. The central perspective takes the gaze directly to the figure of the saint, who has taken off his shoes and is sitting on a cathedra. It then widens to the details of the study.
trefoil coffer Vulgate Saint Jerome in the Wilderness cardinal's hat cabinetry St. Jerome De Prospectiva pingendi aperture Gothic architecture Latin lustre omniscience left Gospel chiaroscuro Jerome low arch legend colonnade cathedra Gothic building Leon Battista Alberti