Saint Jerome (El Greco) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Saint Jerome |
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| Artist | El Greco |
| Year | 1609 |
| Medium | oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 108 cm × 87 cm (43 in × 34 in) |
| Location | Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
Saint Jerome is a famous painting from 1609 by the artist El Greco. It is now kept at the Frick Collection in New York City.
El Greco painted Saint Jerome many times throughout his career. In this painting, Saint Jerome is shown dressed as a cardinal, which is a high-ranking official in the Catholic Church. The way Saint Jerome is posed in this painting looks similar to other portraits El Greco painted, like his Portrait of Cardinal Tavera and Portrait of Jerónimo de Cevallos. Saint Jerome is pointing at an open book on a table covered with a green cloth. The deep folds in his clothes show how El Greco was inspired by artists like Michelangelo and by old Byzantine icon paintings.
About the Painting: Saint Jerome
This painting shows Jerome, who was a very important Christian scholar and priest. He lived a long time ago, around the years 340 to 420 AD. Jerome is best known for translating the Bible into Latin, which was the main language used in Europe at that time. This translation is called the Vulgate.
Who Was Saint Jerome?
Saint Jerome was born in a place called Stridon, which is now part of Croatia. He studied in Rome and became a scholar, learning a lot about different languages and ancient texts. He spent many years living in a desert, studying and writing. Later, he moved to Bethlehem, where he worked on his famous Bible translation. He is often shown in art with a lion, because of a story where he helped a lion by removing a thorn from its paw. He is also often shown with books, because he was a great scholar.
El Greco's Unique Style
El Greco was a Greek painter who worked mostly in Spain. His real name was Doménikos Theotokópoulos, but he was known as El Greco, meaning "The Greek." He had a very unique and dramatic style. His paintings often feature long, stretched-out figures, bright colors, and strong contrasts between light and shadow. He was known for painting religious scenes and portraits.
In Saint Jerome, you can see El Greco's style in the way the clothes are painted. The deep, sharp folds make the fabric look almost sculpted. This technique was influenced by the famous Italian artist Michelangelo, who was known for his powerful sculptures. El Greco also took inspiration from Byzantine icons, which are religious artworks from the Eastern Roman Empire. These icons often have a flat, symbolic style, and El Greco combined this with his own dramatic flair.
See also
In Spanish: Learn about Saint Jerome (El Greco) for kids
- List of works by El Greco
