Penitent St. Jerome 1507

Curator: Let's turn our attention to Albrecht Altdorfer's oil on panel, "Penitent St. Jerome," created around 1507. A surprisingly intimate depiction, wouldn't you say? Editor: It is striking how he's placed Jerome so organically within that vibrant landscape. The composition immediately strikes me – a wizened, almost fragile figure set against such lush abundance. What's your initial take on its materiality, its production? Curator: Well, it's worth considering how panel paintings like this were made. Think of the preparation involved. The careful layering of gesso to create a smooth surface for the application of paint, and then, observe how Altdorfer exploits the oil medium to achieve luminosity in both the landscape and the figure's skin tones. The textures – the rough bark, the soft drapery, even the lion’s mane – all are so evocative, demanding an appreciation of craft and workshop practice. Editor: Yes, I see what you mean. And notice the figure of St. Jerome, he is so central. He is shown here in a moment of reflection and contemplation, having withdrawn from the world. Consider the symbolic weight of the objects that surround him: the skull, the book, and the lion, each telling a part of Jerome’s story. The skull symbolizes mortality; the book, his scholarly pursuits; and the lion represents the tamed animal, a reminder of the power of faith. Curator: The very inclusion of the lion, which represents so much strength, contrasts markedly with the humble material used – paint, painstakingly applied – which itself stands in stark relief to the wild landscape Jerome inhabits, almost dwarfed within nature’s forces. Editor: Absolutely. And beyond that, consider how the image reflects a specific cultural understanding of religious piety during the Renaissance. This is not just a portrait of a saint, but also a moral lesson on sacrifice and redemption, visually conveyed. Altdorfer evokes Jerome as a role model. Curator: Yes, and don't forget, too, that panel painting itself has a function, existing as both an aesthetic object and potentially, in this period, as an altarpiece or devotional object, playing its role in specific rituals and routines of Christian worship. Editor: So we are considering both art and artifact, bound by material circumstances, with symbolic importance deeply entrenched in visual and cultural traditions. That really shifts my perspective on this image. Curator: Indeed, seeing both the materials that constitute this scene alongside their encoded meaning makes for a far richer encounter with Altdorfer’s work, I think. Editor: I agree completely. It shows how layered interpretation reveals more about its moment in time, than either materials or symbolic value can show alone.