St. Jerome in the act of writing, by Guercino 

This is Piranesi's etching of St. Jerome in the act of writing. Immediately, we recognize Jerome, the translator of the Vulgate Bible, through his attributes: the aged, gaunt figure, the scholarly setting, and the active engagement with text. The act of writing, or the broader concept of conveying knowledge, is an ancient motif. Consider the Egyptian god Thoth, the inventor of writing, often depicted with an ibis head, holding a scribe's palette and stylus. Similarly, the Greek Hermes, messenger of the gods and patron of writers, embodies the transmission of wisdom. Jerome, like these figures, is a conduit—transforming divine knowledge into an accessible form. But observe Jerome's furrowed brow and the intensity in his eyes. This is not a passive act. It is a struggle, a wrestling with the divine word that leaves its mark on both the translator and the text itself. This intensity has resurfaced through history, and continues to engage viewers on a subconscious level. It reflects our own struggles with understanding and expression, and an unconscious desire to transmit knowledge.