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The image type of the "Sacra Conversazione" follows a strict compositional scheme: Mary enthroned centrally with the Christ Child, surrounded by several saints in hierarchical succession, usually in or with a view of an expansive, architecturally structured landscape. However, the translation "holy conversation", coined in the 19th century, is not to be understood as a depiction of the protagonists in speaking conversation, but rather as a sacred gathering or community which invites the viewer to devotion or even divine dialogue.
The saints are identified by their typical attributes. The bearded Jerome is depicted as a reading scholar on a lion's skin, Catherine leans on a wheel with a palm branch as a sign of her martyrdom. In the present painting the artist uses stylistic elements, colour chords, illumination and arrangement of the Veronese Bonifacio de' Pitati. The latter was strongly influenced by Titian and was probably trained by Palma il Vecchio. Besides Tintoretto, both Jacopo Bassano and Andrea Schiavone were his pupils. In his œuvre he created several Sacra Conversazione representations, including "Madonna and Child with Saints James, Jerome, St John's Boy and Catherine" (National Gallery, London, NG 1202) and "Holy Family with St Jerome, St Lucia and Angel" (Fondazione Zeri, no. 93565).