Frame - Reliquary, Saint Jerome In His Hermitage, Work By Nuns, Tyrol, Late 18th Century

Saint Jerome in His Hermitage
Tyrolean monastic work, probably from Innsbruck, late 18th century.

A devotional composition under glass, of the “Eingericht” type, featuring finely modeled and polychromed wax figures set within a grotto rendered in relief. Saint Jerome is depicted as a penitent hermit, bare-chested, with his hips draped in a red cloth and his head surrounded by a halo of rays. In a meditative pose, he rests his head on his left hand, while his right hand rests on an open book. At his feet is the lion, his traditional attribute; beside him, a crucifix surmounted by the titulus INRI and a skull, a symbol of the vanity of earthly existence.

Rich decoration combining colorful materials, shimmering metallic leaf, small snail shells, flowers, plant elements, and pearls. In the lower section, a speech bubble bears the invocation “Sancte Hieronyme.”

Original molded wooden frame with a glossy red and gold decoration. On the reverse, the clasp is covered with old printed pages, held in place by crossed fabric ribbons bearing a red wax seal; a fabric fastener at the top.