Saint Jerome in His Study

A scholar saint in a Flemish study

Saint Jerome, who translated the Bible into Latin, sits in his study reading, his head resting on his hand. He wears the red robe and wide hat of a cardinal. A lion lies at his feet.

This tiny panel, about 20 by 13 centimetres, belongs to the Detroit Institute of Arts. It is attributed to Jan van Eyck and his workshop, possibly finished after his death in 1441.

Lost in thought

Jerome leans his cheek on his hand, eyes half closed, reading or meditating. The pose of quiet study became a model for later images of the saint.

A study full of objects

On the shelves and table are an astrolabe, a string of prayer beads, a glass flask, a jar labelled as medicine, an hourglass and an apple. Each object is painted with great care. Together they suggest learning, prayer, the passing of time and the Fall of Man.

Above, books lie stacked and tumbled on the shelf, some with clasps, some open, some with scrolls of paper sticking out.

The lion at his feet

According to legend, Jerome removed a thorn from a lion’s paw, and the grateful animal stayed with him. The lion here lies calmly under the table, its mane painted hair by hair, looking out at the viewer.

Jerome and the lion

A popular legend told that Saint Jerome, living in a monastery in Bethlehem, removed a thorn from the paw of a wounded lion. The grateful animal stayed with him as a loyal companion. The story made the lion Jerome’s constant symbol in art. Painters also showed him wearing a cardinal’s red robe and hat, although cardinals did not exist in his lifetime.

In this tiny panel, the lion lies quietly at his feet, more like a pet cat than a wild beast. The scene is calm and domestic.

A fifteenth-century study

Jerome sits in a room that looks like a scholar’s study in Flanders around 1435. Shelves hold books, a glass jar, an hourglass and other objects. A letter on the table is addressed to the saint. These details turn the ancient scholar into a contemporary of the painting’s first owners, encouraging them to imitate his learning and devotion.

A painting owned by the Medici

An inventory of the Medici family in Florence, made in 1492, lists a small panel of Saint Jerome with a lion, a book and an hourglass, by “Giovanni di Bruggia”, that is, Jan of Bruges. This is very likely the Detroit painting. It shows how highly Italian collectors valued Flemish art in the fifteenth century.

Van Eyck or his workshop?

Scholars disagree about who painted it. Some attribute it to Jan van Eyck himself, others to his workshop, perhaps completed after his death in 1441. The fine detail and the quality of the light suggest a close link to the master.

Where to see it

Saint Jerome in His Study belongs to the Detroit Institute of Arts. Our hand-painted oil reproduction follows this composition. For more masterpieces, explore our top 100 most famous paintings.

Questions about Saint Jerome in His Study

Who painted it?

Jan van Eyck and workshop; it may have been completed after his death.

Where is the original?

Detroit Institute of Arts.

Why is there a lion?

Legend says Jerome took a thorn from a lion’s paw and the lion became his companion.

How large is it?

About 20 × 12.5 centimetres, oil on parchment on panel.

Why is there a lion?

Legend says Jerome removed a thorn from a lion’s paw, and it became his companion.

Did the Medici own it?

Probably. A 1492 Medici inventory lists a very similar panel by Jan van Eyck.

Sources and image credit

• Detroit Institute of Arts: Saint Jerome in His Study
• Wikimedia Commons: Saint Jerome in His Study

Public-domain reproduction of Saint Jerome in His Study, via Wikimedia Commons. Detail images are crops of the same historical painting; no reconstruction or upscaling.