Saint Jerome in Penury
Old Master Drawing on paper • Circle of or Manner of Luca Cambiaso / Guercino (specifically North Italian or Genoese school)
Style & Movement
Mannerism to Early Baroque (Seicento)
Medium & Technique
Pen and brown ink with brown wash and traces of white heightening over black chalk on laid paper.
Creation Period
Late 16th to early 17th Century (c. 1580–1620)
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 25 x 20 cm; vertical (portrait) orientation
Subject Description
A profile study of the penitent Saint Jerome gazing upward in religious ecstasy. He holds a crucifix and a stone (suggesting self-mortification). The presence of a trumpet in the upper left symbolizes the Last Judgment.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Fair to Good; shows typical signs of aging for its period with visible oxidation and foxing.
Estimated Market Value
USD 3,000 - $6,000
Auction Estimate
USD 2,500 - $4,500
Provenance History
Unknown; likely from a private European collection or a disbound sketchbook of anatomical/saintly studies.
Art Historical Significance
Representing a high-quality example of the Italian Seicento emphasis on physiognomy and spiritual intensity. It serves as an important document of draftsmanship techniques used to study muscular strain and anatomical expression in counter-reformation art.
Notable Features
Distinctive cross-hatching and calligraphic ink work in the beard; pentimenti visible in the positioning of the hands and crucifix, indicating it is an original study rather than a direct copy.
Condition Issues
Significant foxing (brown spots), minor paper thinning, light acid burn from historical mounting, and visible creases/cracking in the paper fibers.
Conservation Recommendations
Professional deacidification and cleaning by a paper conservator; must be mounted and framed using acid-free archival materials and UV-protective museum glass.
Collector Notes
Saint Jerome