The plate was cut and the parts were used for B135 Peasant with his hands behind his back (NHD 23) and B172 Ragged peasant with his hands behind him, holding a stick (NHD 47).

St. Jerome is one of the four Patriarchs. He lived as a hermit for four years. He was very popular in the 17th century and consequently often depicted in works of art. Almost always in the company of a lion, referring to the legend that the lion became his loyal friend when Jerome removed a thorn from its pawn. Rembrandt made no less than seven etchings (B 100 till B 106) and several drawings of St. Jerome. In this etching the lion is only barely visible in the 2nd state, as are the other attributes of Jerome, the skull and the cardinal’s hat.

This is certainly one of the earliest surviving prints by Rembrandt. The lines are of an inferior quality, the technical execution is still far from perfect. It also shows in the way the lion is pictured. Probably, at this stage in his life, Rembrandt had never seen a live lion. So his representation of the beast is somewhat unnatural.

Rembrandt may have been inspired by a drawing Jan Lievens made in 1627 Christ in the garden of Gethsemane (now in the Kupferstichkabinett Dresden). Both artists were working closely together at that time.

A painting by Rembrandt of Jerome reading is only known from a print by Johannes van Vliet (1631, Hollstein 13).

The plate is not by Rembrandt according to Middleton, Seidlitz, Coppier, Blanc, Dutuit, Rovinsky, Campbell Dodgson and Singer, but according to most other authors, including NH, it is.

All authors list one state only.

There are only two impressions known: one in the Rijksmuseum (R328) and one in the Bibliothèque Nationale.

H 309, BB-27-2, G 99, M 175, Mz 242, RA 328, Cl 109, W 111, Bl -, Du -, CD 261
R. van Straten, Rembrandts Leidse tijd, 1606-1632, 2005 p. 81; Verdi 2014, p. 110;