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At the time of Horne’s acquiring it, the work showed a mediocre eighteenth century re-painting, depicting the episode of the Visitation. The English art historian, noticing the original support and the typology of the frame, correctly hypothesized that the panel hid an earlier painting. The restoration, carried out in 1907, revealed this precious late fifteenth century composition, portraying the Penitent Saint Jerome, which Horne also correctly attributed to the Florentine painter Piero di Cosimo.
The saint is depicted on his knees, leaning on a rock, with his gaze turned towards the crucifix, expressing strong spiritual tension. Behind the figure, within an anthropomorphic rock formation, one can discern the Cardinal’s hat and humble cot of the Saint. The influence of Flemish art on Piero di Cosimo’s work is visible in the attention to details, and in the magnificent marine landscape, complete with a sailboat, that opens out on the horizon. The panel also testifies to the innovative character of the artist, who chose to portray the Saint within a circular tondo, a format usually assigned for compositions with the Virgin or The Adoration of the Magi.