Agostino Carracci: The Last Communion of St Jerome

Agostino Carracci (or Caracci) (August 16, 1557 – March 22, 1602)
The Last Communion of St Jerome
1591-1592
Oil on canvas
376x224 cm
Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna

The Chapel of St Jerome in the Carthusian Church of San Girolamo, Bologna where the painting originally was displayed

The work was commissioned for one of the large chapels in the nave of the Carthusian Church of San Girolamo in Bologna where it was to face Ludovico Carracci`s painting of Preaching of St John the Baptist.

The era of the Counter-Reform coincided with the priorate of Giovan Battista Capponi (1588-1613). He carried out a large reconstruction of the Church. The chapels of Saint Jerome and Saint John the Baptist were re-built and were now facing each other at the entrance of the Church

It was regarded as Agostino Carracci`s masterpiece. The style is classical.

It was seized by the French during the time of the Napoleonic occupation. It was later returned to the Pinacoteca Nazionale

This work was later used as the model for and improved upon by Carracci`s pupil, Domenichino.