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Compare this Penitent Saint Jerome, painted by Lorenzo Lotto at about the same time, with the Saint Jerome in the Renaissance Connection. The Penitent Saint Jerome 1513-15 Oil on panel Muzeul National de Arta al Romaniel Enlarge

Saint Jerome was the first person to translate the bible into the language of ordinary people — a form of Latin known as the Vulgate. His work to make the bible understandable for everyone made him a popular subject for Renaissance painters. Legend has it that Saint Jerome removed a thorn from a lion's paw, and in turn, the lion remained his faithful companion for years. In this painting, the lion gazes out at us as Saint Jerome watches Christ's suffering on the cross. The painting is called Saint Jerome Penitent; penitent meaning sorrow and regret for past wrongdoings. He holds a rock in his hand, ready to strike himself as punishment for his sins.

The artist who painted this picture, Lorenzo Lotto, filled it with tiny details ranging from Saint Jerome's untrimmed toenails to the tiny ship floating in the harbor in the background. Traveling monks with staffs appear in three different places in the landscape behind Saint Jerome and a scorpion occupies the rocky foreground. Can you find them?

Compare this painting with another Penitent Saint Jerome painted by Lorenzo Lotto at about the same time (1513-15), now at the Muzeul National de Arta al Romaniel.

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