Saint Jerome

Saint Jerome, painted at the Mughal court in Delhi, c. 1580–85, is a fascinating example of how Mughal artists assimilated and adapted European imagery. His body, old and bearded, is partly draped in a flowing blue cloth, and he holds a book close to himself, immediately emphasizing his identity as a learned and devotional figure. There is an unusual combination of European and Mughal visual traditions. The design is derived from a European print, most likely an engraving by Mario Cartaro dating from 1564. Keshav Das did not merely copy his European source but interpreted it in the sensibilities of Mughal miniature painting. The figure ultimately derives from an older classical image of Neptune and was also connected through the European tradition to Michelangelo’s depiction of the drunken Noah in the Sistine Chapel. Keshav Das combined this reclining figure with the scholarly attributes of Saint Jerome. The landscape adds another layer of interest. Behind the saint, a hazy cityscape recedes into the distance, while the enormous tree provides a natural shelter around him. The background is treated in a soft atmosphere, which is especially interesting since it reflects European ways of creating depth and distance. At the same time, the richness associated with Mughal manuscript painting is sustained through the intricate detailing of foliage, vegetation, and the patterned border.It does not feel like a mere religious illustration but a contemplative and almost dreamlike piece. Keshav Das’s willingness to experiment with European pictorial techniques is indicative of the striking openness and curiosity of the late-sixteenth-century Mughal atelier.