  About the Artwork
  
  
  Delicate in its execution and rich in symbolism, this small panel painting by Jan van Eyck depicts Saint Jerome reading in his study. The lion, from whose paw Jerome had extracted a thorn, now sits gratefully at his feet. Known for his translation of the Bible into Latin, Jerome is surrounded by the attributes of his intellectual pursuits and holy life. Behind him are books and an astrolabe, an astronomical instrument used to chart the stars. On the table in front of him is an hourglass, traditionally equated with the passage of time and human mortality. Atop the jar labeled “TYRIRICA” (considered an antidote to snakebite) sits a pomegranate, the symbol of Christ’s resurrection. The inscription on the folded letter is a legible salutation, addressed to an unnamed cardinal. This is likely a reference to Cardinal Niccolò Albergati, who was van Eyck’s patron and close friend. On this basis, it has been suggested that Albergati was the commissioner and first owner of this picture.
  
  
  Title
  Saint Jerome in His Study
  
  
  Artwork Date
  ca. 1435
  
  Artist
  Jan van Eyck
  
  
  
  Life Dates
  ca. 1395-1441
  
  
  
  
  Nationality
  
  
  
  Please note:
  Definitions for nationality may vary significantly, depending on chronology and world events.
  Some definitions include:
  Belonging to a people having a common origin based on a geography and/or descent and/or tradition and/or culture and/or religion and/or language, or sharing membership in a legally defined nation.
  
  
  
  Netherlandish
  
  
  
  Culture
  
  
  
  Please note:
  Cultures may be defined by the language, customs, religious beliefs, social norms, and material traits of a group.
  
  
  
  
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  Medium
  Oil on linen paper on oak panel
  
  
  Dimensions
  Unframed: 8 1/8 × 5 1/4 inches (20.6 × 13.3 cm)
  Image (paint film): 7 7/8 × 4 7/8 inches (20 × 12.4 cm)
  Framed: 12 9/16 × 9 5/8 × 1 7/8 inches (31.9 × 24.4 × 4.8 cm)
  
  
  Classification
  Paintings
  
  
  Department
  European Painting
  
  
  Credit
  City of Detroit Purchase
  
  
  
  Accession Number
  
  
  
  This unique number is assigned to an individual artwork as part of the cataloguing process at the time of entry into the permanent collection.
  Most frequently, accession numbers begin with the year in which the artwork entered the museum’s holdings.
  For example, 2008.3 refers to the year of acquisition and notes that it was the 3rd of that year. The DIA has a few additional systems—no longer assigned—that identify specific donors or museum patronage groups.
  
  
  
  25.4
  
  
  Copyright
  Public Domain
