Communion of Saint Jerome c. 19th century

Editor: This is Ignazio Pavon's "Communion of Saint Jerome", housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It's a monochrome print depicting Saint Jerome receiving communion. It's very dramatic, with all these figures surrounding him. What stands out to you? Curator: What strikes me is how this image normalizes a hierarchical power structure, Saint Jerome, as a figure of authority, receiving communion. What does it mean when institutions reinforce these power dynamics through art? Who is being excluded from the narrative and why? Editor: That’s a good point. The focus is very much on Jerome and the clergy. Curator: Exactly. Consider the absence of female figures in positions of power. The composition directs our gaze, reinforcing a patriarchal worldview. Editor: It's definitely made me think about the stories we choose to tell and who gets to tell them.