Albrecht Altdorfer's 1508 drawing, "Saint Jerome in the Desert", depicts the saint in a detailed wilderness setting, rendered in pen and white ink on brown prepared paper.

Albrecht Altdorfer's "Saint Jerome in the Desert", created in 1508, presents a scene of religious contemplation. Altdorfer, a significant figure in the German Renaissance, particularly within the Danube School, was known for his integration of expressive landscapes with religious and historical subjects. This work exemplifies his early style, characterised by detailed linework and a dramatic use of light and shadow. Executed in pen and white ink on brown prepared paper, the drawing captures Saint Jerome, a Doctor of the Church, in a moment of penitence. The composition shows Jerome kneeling in a wilderness setting, his arms outstretched in prayer or supplication. A crucifix stands to his left, and his symbolic lion rests peacefully to his right. The surrounding environment is rendered with meticulous detail, featuring dense foliage and fantastical, almost otherworldly, plant forms. The use of white ink on the dark ground creates a striking contrast, heightening the emotional intensity of the scene. The date, 1508, is inscribed near the top of the image, providing a clear marker of its creation within Altdorfer's early career.