Der Heilige Hieronymus Poster

Rubens’s Saint Jerome portrays the Christian scholar and ascetic in an expressive and dynamic manner typical of the Baroque style. The painting shows Jerome as a half-naked, muscular figure deeply engaged in his scholarly and spiritual work, often depicted in the wilderness. A wounded lion, referencing the famous legend of Jerome removing a thorn from the lion’s paw, rests nearby, symbolising his compassion and connection to nature. The figure’s pose and anatomy draw inspiration from classical sculpture, which Rubens encountered during his travels, particularly in Venice. The sleeping lion is rendered with naturalistic detail, combining ancient artistic models and Rubens’s own studies of living animals.