The learned 4th century Saint Jerome studied Latin, Hebrew and Greek and is perhaps best known for his translations of the Bible. He retired to the desert of Chalcis (modern day Syria), here shown as a rocky wilderness, to lead a life of prayer and penance. While in the desert he befriended a lion (shown nearby) by removing a thorn from its paw. The Venetian artist Bellini has set the saint into a rocky landscape but has included buildings and a bridge in the distance typical of the region around Venice. Artists in this period often located sacred subjects in familiar local settings to help bring the scene into the present and to facilitate prayer and meditation.
This work was long believed to have been painted by one of Bellini’s many assistants, but the high quality of the work, combined with recent technical examination, suggests it was painted by the Master.

Provenance: Bequeathed by C.D.E. Fortnum, 1899

Object description
Type: Easel painting
Location: Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
Material: Tempera and possibly oil on panel
Artist: Giovanni Bellini (1431 or 1436 – 1516)
Date: circa 1478-80

Image Details
Date: 27 March 2025
Camera body: iPhone Xs
Lens: Wide Camera 26mm ƒ/1.8
Focal Length: 26mm
Aperture: ƒ/1.8
Shutter Speed: 1/25s
ISO: 400
Licensing: Image of an Ashmolean Museum asset. This image cannot be licensed.