Saint Jerome and Saint Catherine of Alexandria Standing in a Landscape

Curatorial Overview

“Girolamo da Treviso the Younger created this drawing as a preparatory design for a painting while working in Bologna at the Church of Santissimo Salvatore. The type of composition is known as a sacre conversazione (sacred conversation). Invented in Venice, this genre featured saints within expansive landscapes sharing a contemplative presence. Saint Jerome’s attribute, a lion, is loosely sketched with brush and ink, while the figures are carefully composed with a mix of ink, ink wash, and white highlights on colored paper, giving them a monumental, sculptural appearance.”