Art Analysis: Messina and the Renaissance

 

Saint Jerome in his Study by Antonello da Messina (about 1475) 

Background

Antonello da Messina (late 1420-1479) was an Italian Renaissance painter born in Messina, Sicily. He studied in Naples, known for its connection to the Netherlands which homed artists such as Jan van Eyck. Northern Renaissance art had a profound influence on Messina’s work, especially depicted in Saint Jerome in his Study, combining the fine detail and oil painting of the Northern Renaissance and realism of the Italian Renaissance that Messina is known for. (National Gallery “Antonello Da Messina”)

Saint Jerome (mid 340-420) was an early Christian priest, scholar, and translator. His most notable work was translating the Bible from Greek into Latin. This translation is known as the Vulgate, and it is still used today. From this version, the Bible has been translated into hundreds of languages (Britannica). The first Bible printed by moveable type, the Gutenberg Bible, was this translated version. The mass printing of the Bible aided the Protestant Reformation, allowing people to read and interpret the Bible outside of the Catholic Church (Wilkinson).

Description

Saint Jerome in his Study, about 1475, Oil on wood, 45.7 × 36.2 cm

Currently located at the National Gallery in London, England

Framed by stone, Saint Jerome is depicted studying while dressed in cardinal robes. He is surrounded by literature and other scholarly items. He is placed in the center of a vaulted Gothic-esque room laid with green and grey tiles. The room is cast with sunlight from the foreground frame and lit from windows in the background. A town and its surrounding landscape are depicted in the lower windows. In the upper windows, swallows grace the sky. Throughout the painting, various animals are depicted: a partridge representing loyalty, a peacock representing eternity, a cat, and a lion referencing the story of Saint Jerome removing a thorn from a lion’s paw. (National Gallery “10 Minute”)

This painting was most likely done for a patron of Messina. It draws inspiration from other Northern Renaissance paintings in its intricate details. From the tiles to the clutter of Saint Jerome’s shelves, Messina displays his skill and technique with oil paints and the brush. The work’s artist has been misidentified as Van Eyck and Dürer due to its fine details. (Sébastien)

Influence 

The Catholic Church is responsible for the Renaissance, determined to revitalize Rome, encouraging the arts and explorations of the natural world while promoting the Christian religion. Humanism began during this period too, focusing on classical elements and emphasizing the betterment and capabilities of the individual self. In Christian aspects of the movement, it shifted the focus of seeking God from the Church to the individual. The work of Saint Jerome reflects this idea: his translations of the Bible led anyone to be able to read and interpret the words of God. The combination of Christianity and Humanism created works like Saint Jerome in his Study and thousands of other influential pieces during the Renaissance. (Artyfactory)

Art Elements

Line: Messina used lines and linear perspective to create an illusion of depth in this work. The tiles, the foreground stones, and the brick in the eaves are all very straight, confident lines, assisting with linear perspective. The curved lines Messina used in the arches highlight the grandeur of the study and, thus, the historical and religious significance of Saint Jerome.

Tone: Messina used tone to create shadows and give the painting a sense of depth. The light being cast on Saint Jerome draws the viewer to the subject. This tone is also used to aid the viewer in looking through the painting. By creating a glow of light from the back windows, it is only natural for the viewer to want to explore the room.

Pattern: Messina used patterns to display his painting skills. The tiles are gorgeously detailed and still follow a linear perspective, having both is such an amazing feat. Messina also used patterns in the brickwork towards the top of the painting. This area could have been smooth and the viewer would not have missed anything, however, Messina painted bricks to further showcase his skill and gave Saint Jerome’s study an air of humble brilliance.

Texture: Messina created an illusion of texture in his paintings using a variety of colors, tones, and lines. This texture is seen throughout the painting, my favorite being the texture of the stonework in the foreground and Saint Jerome’s robes. The stone looks smooth and I feel like it would be slightly warm from the sun hitting it all day. Saint Jerome’s robes naturally fall around him, there’s no doubt that the saint is in his element. I love how they lay, folded at the ground, and added to the realism of the painting. 

Detailed images of Saint Jerome in his Study

Personal Relation

I was immediately captivated when I saw this painting because of the framing used in the foreground and background. I am a window and frame lover, especially when an artist uses a frame in the foreground to give the impression that the viewer is observing from within the work. As I was taking the detailed images, I couldn’t believe how much detail lies in the painting. The grain of the wood and the folds of Saint Jerome’s robes are just beautiful. If you haven’t already, I strongly encourage you to turn your brightness up, zoom in, and explore in full-screen mode through the National Gallery’s website. 

Placement and Presentation

If I owned a print of Saint Jerome in his Study, I would put it among my other prints or by a desk. Ideally, I would line it up with an external natural light source to match the light coming from the left of the painting. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any images of the work displayed in a gallery. However, if I were to display it, it would be among the other Renaissance paintings depicting Catholic imagery in the National Gallery’s collection. It would probably be best next to those of similar size or off to the side of a larger painting. For the frame, I would choose a gold frame (matching most of the National Gallery’s collection) that was not elaborate to not draw attention away from the painting or overwhelm the viewer with details.

Works Cited

Artyfactory. Italian Renaissance Art - Humanism, www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/art_movements/italian-renaissance/italian-renaissance-art-humanism.html. Accessed 17 Feb. 2025.

Britannica. “Major Literary Works of St. Jerome.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 2 Jan. 2025, www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Jerome/Major-literary-works.

The National Gallery. “10-Minute Talk from Home.” 10-Minute Talk from Home: Antonello Da Messina, Saint Jerome in His Study | Stories | National Gallery, London, www.nationalgallery.org.uk/stories/10-minute-talk-from-home-antonello-da-messina-saint-jerome-in-his-study. Accessed 17 Feb. 2025.

The National Gallery. “Antonello Da Messina.” Antonello Da Messina (Active 1456; Died 1479) | National Gallery, London, www.nationalgallery.org.uk/artists/antonello-da-messina. Accessed 17 Feb. 2025.

Sébastien. “Saint Jerome in His Study - Antonello Da Messina.” The Ideal Museum, The Ideal Museum, 11 Sept. 2024, theidealmuseum.substack.com/p/saint-jerome-in-his-study-antonello.

Wilkinson, Freddie. “The Protestant Reformation.” Education National Geographic, education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/protestant-reformation/wilkinson. Accessed 17 Feb. 2025.