Saint Jerome Reading c. 1624

Editor: This is Jusepe de Ribera’s "Saint Jerome Reading," a small etching at the Harvard Art Museums. It feels somber, almost meditative, with that skull staring back at you. What do you make of it? Curator: It's interesting how Ribera uses the etching needle, almost like a pen, to capture Jerome’s scholarly devotion, but also his mortality. The lion, traditionally Jerome's companion, seems to be guarding not just Jerome but perhaps also guarding over his intellectual pursuits. Does it make you wonder what truths he is chasing? Editor: I see what you mean. The lion could also be an allegory for courage, perhaps? Curator: Precisely! Etchings like these are often intimate invitations to ponder such questions. Editor: Definitely gives you something to consider!