SAINT JEROME IN HIS STUDY
A topic often depicted by the artist and generally popular in Germany of the beginning of 16th century. Martin Luther, translating the Bible in German, considered himself a disciple of Saint Jerome. On this engraving we see not just a saint but a philosopher who dedicated his whole life to the understanding of the great truths. When seen next to the Knight, Death and the Devil, this sheet has an important ideological sense: while the other engraving praises the active life, this one is dedicated to the contemplative life.
The most illustrious is the second of Dürer's 'master prints'.