Funeral of St. Jerome - Filippo Lippi

Filippo Lippi's "Funeral of St. Jerome" depicts the saint's passing and ascent to heaven, rendered in tempera on panel with a balanced composition and muted colour palette typical of the Early Renaissance.

Filippo Lippi's "Funeral of St. Jerome" presents a scene of solemnity and spiritual ascension. The painting, executed in tempera on panel, exemplifies the Early Renaissance style with its attention to detail and balanced composition. The lower portion of the artwork depicts the deceased St. Jerome laid out on a bier, surrounded by mourners in monastic robes. Their expressions convey grief and reverence, while their gestures suggest a moment of communal mourning. Above this earthly scene, the composition transitions to a celestial realm. Angels and divine figures populate the upper portion, bathed in a soft, ethereal light. Christ is depicted in the centre, surrounded by a mandorla of light, signifying St. Jerome's ascent to heaven. The background features a stylised depiction of a hilly terrain, providing a backdrop for the unfolding narrative. The work's colour palette is characterised by muted tones, with the reds and blues of the robes contrasting against the paler skin tones of the figures. The use of gold leaf adds a sense of divinity and enhances the overall decorative quality of the piece. Lippi's attention to detail, combined with the balanced composition, makes "Funeral of St. Jerome" a significant example of Early Renaissance painting.