Saint Jerome in his Study by Candlelight c. 1520 - 1530

Aertgen Claesz. van Leyden painted Saint Jerome in his Study by Candlelight with oil on panel. Dominating the image is the skull, a potent symbol of mortality, vanitas, and the transient nature of life. The skull in the hand of Saint Jerome connects to a long tradition that dates back to antiquity, a grim reminder of our inescapable fate. The skull appears in ancient Roman art as a memento mori, and then resurfaces in the Middle Ages, where it appears in illuminated manuscripts. We see it later in Renaissance paintings, reminding viewers of the brevity of life amid the flourishing of art and science. This symbol, imbued with the weight of history, affects our subconscious, triggering a deep awareness of our own mortality. Its continued use reveals the cyclical nature of human consciousness, as each generation grapples with the same existential realities, expressed and re-expressed through art.