St. Jerome in His Study
c. 1490
Filippino Lippi, son of the famous Fra Filippo, sketched this intense study of St. Jerome around 1490, capturing the saint deep in thought at his desk. You can spot the traditional lion curled up at his feet in the bottom left, a loyal companion from the saint's legends. The paper is heavily worn and stained, giving it a ghostly, time-traveled feel, but the intricate hatching on the heavy robes shows Lippi's masterful draftsmanship. This wasn't just a casual doodle; it was a crucial preparatory sketch, revealing how Renaissance masters meticulously planned their masterpieces before committing to paint.
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