Description/Abstract/Artist Statement
Over the past one-hundred years, much effort has been given to the analysis and interpretation of the many paintings produced by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio during his short lifetime. Unfortunately, many of the artist’s works have gone vastly understudied, such as his Saint Jerome Writing, completed in 1606. Several scholars have touched on the painting briefly over the years, such as Howard Hibbard, who suggests in his 1985 monograph, Caravaggio, that the piece touches on the transiency of life, as well as Sybille Ebert- Schifferer, who adds in her 2009 book, Caravaggio: The Artist and His Work, that the painting appears to be unfinished. John T. Spike also argues in his revised, 2010 monograph, Caravaggio, that Saint Jerome Writing marks a significant shift in style for Caravaggio, noting a looseness to the brushstrokes that was not present in the artist’s previous works. Individually, each of these assertions do not amount to much, however, like many of Caravaggio’s other paintings, deeper intimations can often be divulged. This paper, through the use of previous scholarship, formal analysis, biographical content about the artist, and information regarding the painting’s conception, serves to put forth the notion that Saint Jerome Writing is not as straightforward as art historians currently seem to believe. In fact, this paper argues that Caravaggio’s Saint Jerome Writing is meant to not only promote Counter-Reformation ideas surrounding faith and good works, but to take viewers on a journey into the mind of the artist, revealing his deep identification with Jerome.
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
Anne Muraoka
College Affiliation
College of Arts & Letters
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Disciplines
Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque Art and Architecture
Session Title
Art History 2: New Research Commemorating the 450th Anniversary of Caravaggio's Birth
Location
Zoom
Start Date
3-19-2022 2:15 PM
End Date
3-19-2022 3:15 PM
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Caravaggio’s Faith and Good Works: A New Interpretation of Saint Jerome Writing, and Its Implications About the Artist
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Over the past one-hundred years, much effort has been given to the analysis and interpretation of the many paintings produced by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio during his short lifetime. Unfortunately, many of the artist’s works have gone vastly understudied, such as his Saint Jerome Writing, completed in 1606. Several scholars have touched on the painting briefly over the years, such as Howard Hibbard, who suggests in his 1985 monograph, Caravaggio, that the piece touches on the transiency of life, as well as Sybille Ebert- Schifferer, who adds in her 2009 book, Caravaggio: The Artist and His Work, that the painting appears to be unfinished. John T. Spike also argues in his revised, 2010 monograph, Caravaggio, that Saint Jerome Writing marks a significant shift in style for Caravaggio, noting a looseness to the brushstrokes that was not present in the artist’s previous works. Individually, each of these assertions do not amount to much, however, like many of Caravaggio’s other paintings, deeper intimations can often be divulged. This paper, through the use of previous scholarship, formal analysis, biographical content about the artist, and information regarding the painting’s conception, serves to put forth the notion that Saint Jerome Writing is not as straightforward as art historians currently seem to believe. In fact, this paper argues that Caravaggio’s Saint Jerome Writing is meant to not only promote Counter-Reformation ideas surrounding faith and good works, but to take viewers on a journey into the mind of the artist, revealing his deep identification with Jerome.