Description
The inscription on the ledge identifies the subject as St. Bruno of Cologne (ca. 1035-1101), the founder of the Carthusian monastic order. He was canonized, or sainted, by Pope Leo X in 1514. Although the artist did not know what St. Bruno actually looked like, he created an individualized portrait with hollow cheeks and large eyes. These features, along with the landscape, make the saint seem quite real to the viewer.
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