St. Jerome Reading in an Italian Landscape

Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)

ca. 1653 · Etching, drypoint, and engraving on oatmeal paper; second state of two · Drawings and Prints

Rembrandt depicted Saint Jerome many times, here as a contented old man reading. The print reflects Rembrandt's great admiration for Venetian art, particularly in the landscape and buildings in the background, which were inspired by the work of Giulio (ca. 1482–after 1515) and Domenico (1500–1564) Campagnola. The marked contrast between the briefly sketched saint and the more polished areas of the print creates an initial impression of unfinish. Rembrandt's sketch for the print shows that he originally intended to darken the saint and the foreground. In the end, however, he left them blank but for the outlines in order to create an effect of bright sunlight.

Artist

Rembrandt (Rembrandt van Rijn)

Date

ca. 1653

Medium

Etching, drypoint, and engraving on oatmeal paper; second state of two

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Gift of Felix M. Warburg and his family, 1941