Saint Jerome in Prayer c. 17th century

Editor: This is Claude Mellan's "Saint Jerome in Prayer." I'm struck by the starkness of the image – the single light source and the almost obsessive detail given to Jerome's aged, emaciated body. How would you interpret Mellan's portrayal of such a significant religious figure? Curator: The image really puts forward the ascetic life of Saint Jerome. Mellan, working within a highly Catholic environment, evokes Jerome as a symbol of penitence. Note the skull, the wilderness outside his cell, and his dedication to books. It speaks to a very specific, public idea of holiness and scholarship that was crucial to the Church's image at the time. What do you think about that lion in the background? Editor: That's intriguing, it seems to almost humanize the space, adding a touch of wildness to Jerome's disciplined world. I never considered the public image aspect so directly. Curator: Exactly, it's about presenting a particular kind of authority, one rooted in both intellectual and spiritual discipline that reinforced the Church's place in society.