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.

Presenting Author Name/s

Louis Berbert

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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Mar 19th, 2:15 PM Mar 19th, 3:15 PM

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.