Caravaggio

[telophase]

Went to the exhibit on Caravaggio and his Followers at the Kimbell this evening. Can someone do my homework for me and tell me why St. Jerome would be depicted with a lion and an open pair of scissors? There was also an open Bible, which makes sense as he translated it into Latin.

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Comments

[kore]

Huh, those might not be scissors but a wick-trimmer for the candle -- I think scissors, spectacles, &c are typical scholarly emblems.

[telophase]

Yeah, I'm not sure. I haven't been able to find a copy of the painting online so can't double-check exactly what they looked like.

They were fairly prominent - hanging from a nail in a shelf, right in the light from the window, open and hanging from one loop of the handle - so Mom and I assumed there had to be a specific meaning we were unaware of.