St. Jerome

Images of figures from Church history were important for promoting compliance with institutional prescriptions. St. Jerome, a fourth-century priest, was later recognized as one of the four Latin Fathers of the Church. He is most famous for translating the Bible into Latin (the Vulgate), and his status as an authority on the written word is emphasized here by the central position of the open book on the lectern. The date of this panel is unclear, though the ongoing use of medieval and Byzantine styles in later periods indicates related continuities of beliefs and practices.