Workshop of Alessandro Bonvicino / Il Moretto, Saint Jerome, 1550, Oil on Canvas

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Workshop of alessandro bonvicino, known as moretto (brescia, c. 1498 – 1554)
saint jerome

oil on canvas
85 x 68 … Read more Workshop of alessandro bonvicino, known as moretto (brescia, c. 1498 – 1554)
saint jerome

oil on canvas
85 x 68 cm - framed 100 x 82 cm.

a remarkable portrait of saint jerome, a doctor of the church who lived between the 4th and 5th centuries, immortalized here according to the typical iconography of both a penitent hermit in the desert and a humanist intent on reading, set against a wild, deserted landscape.

this multifaceted figure of saint jerome enjoyed great popularity in lombardy between the 15th and 16th centuries, a supreme example of the harmony between classical knowledge and christian virtue. He thus became a beloved subject for a refined and cultured audience, often depicted in small-scale works intended for private devotion.

we see him with an intense and thoughtful gaze, turned towards the crucifix, his canonical iconographic attribute and a symbol of his penance in the desert, as he strikes his chest with a stone.

next to him is the lion, a symbol of tamed passions but also of his spiritual strength, and the skull, a memento mori (remember that you must die) and an allusion to the passing of time, emphasizing the transience of earthly life. Hanging from his head is the cardinal's hat, a reminder of his role as doctor of the church and translator of the bible.

this is a work of outstanding quality for its illustrative clarity, pictorial refinement, and chromatic sensitivity, suggesting a lombard execution around the end of the 16th century, and specifically indebted to the models conceived by alessandro bonvicino, known as moretto (brescia, c. 1498 – 1554), one of the leading artists of the early renaissance in brescia.

devotional paintings such as this one constituted one of bonvicino's most important productions, and the fact that no closely related images exist suggests that the canvas should be included in the highly complex catalogue of works executed by the workshop, presumably under the supervision of the master himself. The venetian influence is strongly evident in the work: both the pictorial style and the color scheme, dominated by the bright green of the drapery surrounding the saint, are elements reminiscent of titian.

behind saint jerome is a broad, hilly landscape with a clear sky and a few clouds, characterized by a vivid blue, characteristic of the brescian artist.

the figure of saint jerome recurs frequently in the painter's paintings in a variety of illustrative ways. In particular, the chromatic, lighting, and tonal balance of the image recalls the saint jerome in meditation from the liechtenstein museum collection (inv. Ge 313, oil on panel, 39 × 31 cm).

other works in his catalog featuring this subject include the saint jerome from the borromeo collection on isola bella, dating between 1540 and 1545, or the madonna and child with saint jerome from a private collection.

the figure, face, and attitude evoke saint mark the evangelist from the duomo vecchio in brescia.

additional information:

the images were created using a professional photographic set and lighting.

the painting is sold with a beautiful frame and comes with a certificate of authenticity and an iconographic . This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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