Heilige Hieronymus op de binnenplaats van een kerk c. 1506 - 1538

Albrecht Altdorfer created this engraving of Saint Jerome in around 1512, during the early years of the Reformation. Altdorfer was working in Regensburg, which was then a free imperial city within the Holy Roman Empire. His image of St. Jerome, a key figure in the Catholic Church, thus speaks to the social and religious tensions of the time. The architectural elements in the image—the courtyard, the church—create a sense of confinement, while the saint is accompanied by a lion, a symbol of strength and royalty. The presence of these motifs invites viewers to consider the role and authority of the Church in the early 16th century. To better understand this piece, we might research the history of Regensburg or study writings by reformist thinkers. In this way, the image of Saint Jerome becomes a window into the complex social and institutional contexts that shaped its production.