How does this artwork elucidate its History?
Since the date on the painting is subsequent to Jan van Eyck's death (June 1441), it is likely that the work, left unfinished, had been completed by members of his workshop, or his brother Lambert. It was started in 1436 though.
A work with a similar subject is mentioned in the inventories of  Palazzo Medici in Florence, which had been drawn up after the death of Lorenzo de' Medici in 1492. Even if not the work now at Detroit, this could have been the latter's prototype, since the painting is not unanimously attributed to van Eyck. There are indeed striking similarities between this work and Domenico Ghirlandaio's Saint Jerome in His Study (1480).
hat Detroit Florence Palazzo Medici Domenico Ghirlandaio Jan van Eyck Jerome Lorenzo de' Medici Saint Jerome