The Venetian master Cima painted a large altarpiece of the Virgin and Child with Saints Jerome and Louis of Toulouse for the church of Santa Chiara on the island of Murano, outside of Venice around 1496-98. This drawing is a study for the head of St. Jerome in this painting and is exactly the same size as the finished head which suggests that it may have served as a guide during the completion of the picture. Since it is unmarked by a stylus or by pricking, it cannot have been used as a cartoon in the usual sense.
More information
Title of artwork, date
Head of St Jerome, c. 1496–1498
Date supported
1936
Medium and material
Brush drawing in brown ink, heightened with white on blue paper
Dimensions
25.2 x 12 cm
Grant
273
Total cost
273
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