GIOVANNI ANTONIO called IL SODOMA BAZZI

The present drawing of Saint Jerome in Penitence is characteristic of the graphic technique of Sodoma. Drawn in a nervous line in black chalk, the saint is represented here bare-chested and with prominent muscles. His beautifully muscled body manifests the Renaissance humanist belief that the human form is a reflection of God’s perfection. On his knees, the saint is ready to strike his chest with the stone he holds in his hand. He stares with pain and repentance at the crucifix seen in the upper part of the sheet. The harsh realism, the expressive pose of the saint, and his imposing bust are characteristic elements of the almost excessive style of Sodoma.