Saint Jerome
Classification
figures
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Accession Number
1896-31-13
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Jusepe de Rib, a Spanish artist who spent much of his career in Naples, Italy, masterfully captured the intensity of religious devotion in *Saint Jerome* around 1620. Born in 1591, Ribera a leading figure in the Neapolitan Baroque, influenced by Caravaggio's dramatic tenebrism—harsh contrasts of light and shadow that heighten emotional depth. This painting, classified as a figure study and housed in the Smithsonian American Art's collection, reflects his early maturity during a time when Naples was under Spanish rule, blending Iberian spirituality with Italian realism. Saint Jerome, the 4th-c...