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Saint Jerome in Penitence, in a Cave

A work made of wood engraving in black on cream laid paper.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of wood engraving in black on cream laid paper.

Date:

1500/38

Artist:

Albrecht Altdorfer
German, c.1480-1538

About this artwork

Albrecht Altdorfer’s sophisticated handling of woodcutting tools allows this relief image to appear almost three- dimensional. The shadows of the cave around the hermit Saint Jerome open gradually into ever-darker passages and spartan living quarters beyond. The saint, his protective lion companion, and the makeshift altar become the focal points for the light emanating from the entry to the cave on the right. Like Jerome, the viewer is situated in a literally and spiritually dark space within the tomb-like cavern.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Prints and Drawings

Artist

Albrecht Altdorfer

Title

Saint Jerome in Penitence, in a Cave

Place

Germany (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Artist's working dates 1500–1538

Medium

Wood engraving in black on cream laid paper

Dimensions

Image/block/sheet: 16.8 × 12 cm (6 5/8 × 4 3/4 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Potter Palmer

Reference Number

1919.2535

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/77846/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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