Dutch painter Hendrick van Steenwijck presents the theologian and scholar Saint Jerome, seen from the perspective of a library’s entrance, absorbed in the act of translating the Biblical Old Testament from Greek and Hebrew to Latin. Although Saint Jerome is shown here in isolation, his translation, completed in 405 AD, widened access to the Scriptures, breaking down barriers of engagement and opened a door to religious engagement for new audiences.

To read a comparative essay of ‘St Jerome in his Study’ and Jean-Paul Sartre’s ‘Huis Clos’ by co-curator Tamsin Golding Yee, visit pages 76-80 of the Catalogue.