St. Jerome in Penitence (c. 1497): Art, History and Details

St. Jerome in Penitence (c. 1497) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection. The museum's creator attribution is Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471–1528).

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

This print shows Albrecht Dürer’s interpretation of Saint Jerome in the wilderness. In this image, the saint is a gaunt penitent who kneels in front of a small crucifix placed on top of a tree stump (a reference to Christ’s cross and the tree of knowledge), while holding a rock in his right hand. Jerome was said to have beat his chest with a rock to alleviate his frequent hallucinations. Dürer included several different plant species, all Northern European in origin, displaying his dedication to the careful study and depiction of real plants.

Object facts

• Title: St. Jerome in Penitence
• Date: c. 1497
• Creator attribution: Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471–1528)
• Culture: Germany, late 15th Century early 16th Century
• Type: Print
• Technique: engraving
• Dimensions: Image: 32 x 22.5 cm (12 5/8 x 8 7/8 in.); Sheet: 32 x 22.5 cm (12 5/8 x 8 7/8 in.)
• Collection: PR - Engraving
• Department: Prints
• Accession number: 1966.175

A detail from the museum

According to legend, after he aided a lion by pulling a thorn from its paw, it became Saint Jerome's permanent companion.

Collection credit

Mr. and Mrs. Charles G. Prasse Collection, fiftieth anniversary gift

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.