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Albrecht Altdorfer

Saint Jerome in Penitence, in a Cave

1500/38
Wood engraving in black on cream laid paper
16.8 × 12 cm (6.6 × 4.7 in)

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In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

Albrecht Altdorfer’s sophisticated handling of woodcutting tools allows this relief image to appear almost three- dimensional. The shadows of the cave around the hermit Saint Jerome open gradually into ever-darker passages and spartan living quarters beyond. The saint, his protective lion companion, and the makeshift altar become the focal points for the light emanating from the entry to the cave on the right. Like Jerome, the viewer is situated in a literally and spiritually dark space within the tomb-like cavern.

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