Saint Jerome, 76x50cm, charcoal and white chalk on hand toned fabriano paper, not for sale, Submission of the same work in the categories "Drawing" and "Religious and Spiritual".In art, Saint Jerome is frequently depicted holding a stone, with which—as a penitent hermit in the desert—he beats his chest. This motif symbolizes asceticism, repentance, and the taming of one’s own impulses. In my drawing, this moment is accentuated through the deliberate emphasis on the forearm musculature. The tension in these muscles renders the physical exertion visible and endows the stone with a palpable weight. Thus, it appears not merely as an object, but as a metaphor for the burdens of life. The tension in the arm, combined with the figure’s introspective posture, translates this spiritual struggle into a physically relatable gesture. The act of penance thereby becomes tangible as a state existing between inner pressure and outward action. My many years of work as a social worker in patient care have shaped my perspective on this "burden." Through my encounters with illness, aging, and individual life stories, this burden became concrete and visible to me. Consequently, I view Saint Jerome not merely as a religious figure, but as a symbol of a universal human experience that encompasses a broad spectrum of life’s realities.
Saint Jerome, 76x50cm, charcoal and white chalk on hand toned fabriano paper, not for sale, Submission of the same work in the categories "Drawing" and "Religious and Spiritual".In art, Saint Jerome is frequently depicted holding a stone, with which—as a penitent hermit in the desert—he beats his chest. This motif symbolizes asceticism, repentance, and the taming of one’s own impulses. In my drawing, this moment is accentuated through the deliberate emphasis on the forearm musculature. The tension in these muscles renders the physical exertion visible and endows the stone with a palpable weight. Thus, it appears not merely as an object, but as a metaphor for the burdens of life. The tension in the arm, combined with the figure’s introspective posture, translates this spiritual struggle into a physically relatable gesture. The act of penance thereby becomes tangible as a state existing between inner pressure and outward action. My many years of work as a social worker in patient care have shaped my perspective on this "burden." Through my encounters with illness, aging, and individual life stories, this burden became concrete and visible to me. Consequently, I view Saint Jerome not merely as a religious figure, but as a symbol of a universal human experience that encompasses a broad spectrum of life’s realities.