St. Jerome hearing the trumpets from the Last Judgement

Saint Jerome Hearing the Trumpets of the Last Judgment, attributed to Ribera's circle, depicts the dramatic moment when the church father envisions the final reckoning. Jerome's apocalyptic visions, recorded in his letters, provided artists with opportunities for dramatic expression. The work exemplifies Rococo's preoccupation with pleasure, elegance, and intimate scale, reflecting the taste of an aristocracy that commissioned paintings for private apartments rather than public spaces. Oil...

The saint's startled reaction to the celestial trumpets creates a composition of dynamic tension. The strong chiaroscuro typical of the Ribera workshop creates dramatic contrasts between the illuminated face and the surrounding darkness.