Saint Jerome Hearing the Trumpet of the Last Judgment c. 1621

Jusepe de Ribera created this etching, Saint Jerome Hearing the Trumpet of the Last Judgment, using a variety of intricately layered lines. The composition is divided into earthly and celestial realms, which evokes a visceral sense of awe and divine intervention. Ribera masterfully employs line and shadow to define form and texture. Notice the contrast between the detailed rendering of Saint Jerome's aged body and the ethereal quality of the angel, achieved through delicate, almost weightless lines. The skull and open books serve as vanitas symbols, underscoring the transience of earthly knowledge in the face of divine judgment. The visual structure directs our gaze upwards, inviting contemplation on themes of mortality, faith, and the ultimate reckoning. Ribera uses line and form not just to depict a scene, but to prompt a deeper engagement with existential questions about the human condition and its place in the divine order.