Jusepe Ribera
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Jusepe de Ribera (; baptised 17 February 1591 – 3 November 1652) was a Spanish painter and
printmaker Printmaking is the process of creating artworks by printing, normally on paper, but also on fabric, wood, metal, and other surfaces. "Traditional printmaking" normally covers only the process of creating prints using a hand processed technique ...
. Ribera,
Francisco de Zurbarán Francisco de Zurbarán ( , ; baptized 7 November 1598 – 27 August 1664) was a Spanish painter. He is known primarily for his religious paintings depicting monks, nuns, and martyrs, and for his still-lifes. Zurbarán gained the nickname "Spanis ...
,
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo Bartolomé Esteban Murillo ( , ; late December 1617, baptized January 1, 1618April 3, 1682) was a Spanish Baroque painter. Although he is best known for his religious works, Murillo also produced a considerable number of paintings of contempor ...
, and the singular
Diego Velázquez Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez (baptised 6 June 15996 August 1660) was a Spanish painter, the leading artist in the Noble court, court of King Philip IV of Spain, Philip IV of Spain and Portugal, and of the Spanish Golden Age. He i ...
, are regarded as the major artists of
Spanish Baroque painting Spanish Baroque painting refers to the Baroque painting, style of painting which developed in Spain throughout the 17th century and the first half of the 18th century. The style appeared in early 17th century paintings, and arose in response to ...
. Referring to a series of Ribera exhibitions held in the late 20th century,
Philippe de Montebello Philippe de Montebello (born May 16, 1936 in Paris) is a French and American museum director. He served from 1977 to 2008 as the director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. On his retirement, he was both the longest-serving dir ...
wrote "If Ribera's status as the undisputed protagonist of Neapolitan painting had ever been in doubt, it was no longer. Indeed, to many it seemed that Ribera emerged from these exhibitions as not simply the greatest
Neapolitan Neapolitan means of or pertaining to Naples, a city in Italy; or to: Geography and history * Province of Naples, a province in the Campania region of southern Italy that includes the city * Duchy of Naples, in existence during the Early and High ...
artist of his age but one of the outstanding European masters of the seventeenth century."Pérez-Sánchez, Alfonso E., and Nicola Spinosa. 1992.
Jusepe de Ribera 1519–1652
'. The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Harry N. Abrams, Inc. New York. 290 pp,
Jusepe de Ribera has also been referred to as José de Ribera (usual in Spanish and French), Josep de Ribera (in Catalan), and was called Lo Spagnoletto (Italian for "the Little Spaniard") by his contemporaries and early historians. Ribera created
history painting History painting is a genre in painting defined by its subject matter rather than any artistic style or specific period. History paintings depict a moment in a narrative story, most often (but not exclusively) Greek and Roman mythology and B ...
s, including traditional Biblical subjects and episodes from
Greek mythology Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of ancient Greek folklore, today absorbed alongside Roman mythology into the broader designation of classical mythology. These stories conc ...
. He is perhaps best known for his numerous views of
martyrdom A martyr (, ''mártys'', 'witness' stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an external party. In colloqui ...
, which at times are brutal scenes depicting bound saints and
satyr In Greek mythology, a satyr (, ), also known as a silenus or ''silenos'' ( ), and sileni (plural), is a male List of nature deities, nature spirit with ears and a tail resembling those of a horse, as well as a permanent, exaggerated erection. ...
s as they are flayed or crucified in agony. Less familiar are his occasional, but accomplished portraits, still lifes and landscapes. Nearly half of his surviving work consist of half length portraits of workers and beggars, often older individuals in ragged clothes, posing as various philosophers, saints, apostles and allegorical figures. Ribera's paintings, particularly his early work, are characterized by stark realism using a
chiaroscuro In art, chiaroscuro ( , ; ) is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition. It is also a technical term used by artists and art historians for the use of contrasts of light to ach ...
or
tenebrist Tenebrism, from Italian ('dark, gloomy, mysterious'), also occasionally called dramatic illumination, is a style of painting using especially pronounced chiaroscuro, where there are violent contrasts of light and dark, and where darkness become ...
style. His later work embraced a greater use of color, softer light, and more complex compositions, although he never entirely abandoned his
Caravaggisti The Caravaggisti (or the "Caravagesques"; singular: "Caravaggista") were stylistic followers of the late 16th-century Italian Baroque painter Caravaggio. His influence on the new Baroque style that eventually emerged from Mannerism was profound. ...
leanings. Very little is known about the first 20 years of his life and there are many gaps concerning his later life and career. He was baptized on February 17, 1591, in Játiva, Spain, his father identified as a shoemaker. He is not recorded again until 1611, when records show he was paid for a painting (now lost) for a church in
Parma Parma (; ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, Giuseppe Verdi, music, art, prosciutto (ham), Parmesan, cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,986 inhabitants as of 2025, ...
, Italy. Documents show he was a member of the
Accademia di San Luca The Accademia di San Luca () is an Italian academy of artists in Rome. The establishment of the Accademia de i Pittori e Scultori di Roma was approved by papal brief in 1577, and in 1593 Federico Zuccari became its first ''principe'' or director; ...
in
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
by October 1613 and living in a house in the
Via Margutta Via Margutta is a narrow street in the centre of Rome, near Piazza del Popolo, accessible from Via del Babuino in the ancient Campo Marzio neighborhood also known as ''"the foreigner's quarter"''. Mount Pincio is nearby. Via Margutta origi ...
in 1615–16, at that time known as "the foreigner's quarter", apparently living a
bohemian Bohemian or Bohemians may refer to: *Anything of or relating to Bohemia Culture and arts * Bohemianism, an unconventional lifestyle, originally practised by 19th–20th century European and American artists and writers. * Bohemian style, a ...
life with his brothers and other artists. Anecdotal accounts written at the time indicate he quickly earned a reputation as an outstanding painter after arriving in
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
and was earning great profits, but also noted his laziness and extravagant spending. Ribera moved to
Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
in late 1616, under Spanish rule at that time, and in November married Caterina Azzolino, the daughter of Sicilian painter
Giovanni Bernardino Azzolini Giovanni Bernardino Azzolini (c. 1572 – 12 December 1645) was an Italian painter and sculptor who continued painting in a late-Mannerism, Mannerist style, mainly active in Naples and Genoa. He is also known by Azzolino or Mazzolini or Asoleni. ...
. There he remained for the rest of his life, setting up a workshop with many pupils, securing commissions, and establishing an international reputation. In 1626 he received the
Cross of the Order of Christ A cross is a religious symbol consisting of two Intersection (set theory), intersecting Line (geometry), lines, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of t ...
from
Pope Urban VIII Pope Urban VIII (; ; baptised 5 April 1568 – 29 July 1644), born Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 August 1623 to his death, in July 1644. As pope, he expanded the papal terri ...
. His health began to deteriorate in 1643 and his productivity declined from that time on, and by 1649 he was experiencing financial hardships as well. However, when his health permitted, he continued to produce several acclaimed paintings into the last year of his life.National Gallery of Art, Washington D. C. (www.nga.gov):
Jusepe de Ribera, Biography
'. (accessed December 10, 2022)
Lassaigne, Jacques. 1952. ''Spanish Painting: From Velazquez to Picasso''. Editions D'Art Albert Skira, Geneva, Switzerland 148 pp. (see pages 24–30, & 141)


Life


Early biographies

His Italian biographers have many tales to tell of Ribera's stormy, picaresque career, and picture "Lo Spagnoletto's" life as an endless series of professional intrigues and rivalries, attempted poisonings due to ''gelosia di mestiere'', conspiracies and brawls, triumphs and adversities, dramatic love affairs. Alterations of dark patches and dazzling light, glooms and raptures – just as in his paintings. Perhaps we would do better to keep to the records and established dates of Ribera's life."
Jacques Lassaigne Jacques Lassaigne (born in Paris on December 17, 1911, and died on February 10, 1983) was a French art historian, art critic, and museum curator. He served as the president of the International Association of Art Critics from 1966 to 1969 and was ...
(1952)
Biographers of Ribera in the 17th and 18th century, including
Bernardo de' Dominici Bernardo De Dominici or Bernardo de Dominici or Bernardo de' Dominici (1683–1759) was an Italian art historian and minor landscape and genre painter, active mainly in his native Naples. He is now best known as the author of the ''Vite dei pitto ...
, De Dominici, Bernardo. 1742 – 45. ''Vite de' pittori, scultori, ed architti napoletani'' 'Lives of Neapolitan Painters, Sculptors and Architects'' Vols. I – III. Naples.
Carlo Celano Carlo Celano (22 February 1625 ''–'' 3 December 1693) was an Italian lawyer and man of letters, who led the restoration of the church of Santa Restituta in his birthplace of Naples and left an accurate census of the city's monuments, updated up ...
,Celano, Carlo. 1692. ''Notizie del bello, dell'antico, e del curioso della cittá di Napoli'' 'News of the Beautiful, the Ancient, and the Curious of the City of Naples'' Naples. and Palomino de Castro y Velasco
Antonio Palomino Acislo Antonio Palomino de Castro y Velasco (165513 April 1726) was a Spanish painter of the Baroque period, and a writer on art, author of ''El Museo pictórico y escala óptica'', which contains a large amount of important biographical mate ...
, Acisclo Antonio. 1715 – 1724. ''El museo pictórico y Escala óptica'' 'The Pictorial Museum and Optical Scale'' Vols. I – III. Madrid.
produced a substantial amount of information on the artist's life that is now known to be erroneous. Much of this misinformation was pervasive well into the 20th century and is occasionally still repeated today. It was long believed he was born in 1587, De Dominici saying he was from
Gallipoli, Apulia Gallipoli (; ; ) is a Southern Italy, southern Italy, Italian town and ''comune'' in the province of Lecce, in Apulia. In 2014, it had a population of 31,862 and is one of the towns where the Greek dialect Griko is spoken. Geography The town ...
while Celano stated he was from
Lecce Lecce (; ) is a city in southern Italy and capital of the province of Lecce. It is on the Salentine Peninsula, at the heel of the Italian Peninsula, and is over two thousand years old. Because of its rich Baroque architecture, Lecce is n ...
. One said he descended from nobility, and another identified his father as a Spanish army officer. Research and documents emerged in the 20th century have proven these false.Finaldi, Gabriele. 1992. ''A Documentary Look at the Life and Work of Jusepe de Ribera''. pages 3–8: IN Pérez-Sánchez, Alfonso E., and Nicola Spinosa. ''Jusepe de Ribera 1519–1652''. The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Harry N. Abrams, Inc. New York. 290 pp, Milicua, José. 1992. ''From Játiva to Naples''. pages 9 – 17: IN, Pérez-Sánchez, Alfonso E., and Nicola Spinosa. ''Jusepe de Ribera 1519–1652''. The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Harry N. Abrams, Inc. New York. 290 pp, Other episodes and events in Ribera's life remain unverified. Early accounts (still repeated today) state that Ribera began his art education in
Valencia Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...
, where he was a pupil of Francesc Ribalta. Although this is entirely plausible, there is no real evidence to confirm it. De Dominici's biography described Ribera as an egotistical and condescending individual of reprehensible behavior. He was reputed to have been chief of the so-called
Cabal of Naples The Cabal of Naples was a notorious triumvirate of painters in the city of Naples that operated during the early Baroque period from the late 1610s to the early 1640s. It was led by the Spaniard Jusepe de Ribera, who had established himself in Na ...
, his abettors being a Greek painter, Belisario Corenzio and the Neapolitan
Battistello Caracciolo Giovanni Battista Caracciolo (also called Battistello) (1578–1635) was an Italian artist and important Neapolitan follower of Caravaggio. He was a member of the murderous Cabal of Naples, with Belisario Corenzio and Giambattista Caracciolo ...
. However, there are no real documents or records to substantiate (or discredit) this other than these early biographies. De Dominici's biography has been called "barefaced lies" by one modern historian,Prota-Giurleo, Ulisse. 1953. ''Pittori napoletani del Seicento'' 'Neapolitan Painters of the Seventeenth Century'' Fausto Fiorentino-Libraio, Naples. 174 (page 97). and "a caricature" by another, although the latter noted a critical examination of it can still provide some insights.


Early life (1591–1616)

Little information is available on Ribera's youth. It was as recent as 1923 that the year of his birth was positively established. He was baptized on February 17, 1591, in Játiva, Spain, about 60 km. (37 mi.) south of Valencia. His parents were identified as Simón and Margarita (née Cucó) Ribera, married in 1588, and his father's occupation a shoemaker. Other baptismal records show the couple had two other sons, Jerónimo (b.1588) and Juan (b.1593).Viñes, Gonzalo J., 1923. ''La verdadera partida de bautismo del Españoleto y otros datos de familia''. Archivo de arte valenciano, (9): 18-24. A gap of 20 years follows his baptism record, including information regarding his childhood, education, teachers, and when he left Spain. Ribera's move to the Italian peninsula and his training as an artist have been subjects of interest to art historians in recent decades. His 18th century biographer Palomino wrote that he apprenticed with the Spanish painter Francesc Ribalta in Valencia, and this was generally accepted by historians into the mid to late 20th century, although no proof of this connection exists. Recently, historians have begun to question this scenario. There is some evidence to suggest Ribera might have been in Italy as early as 1608-1609 (age 17 or 18), or even as early as 1605-1606 (age 14 or 15).Galleria nazionale d'arte antica di palazzo Corsini: Art/Masterpeices
Jusepe Ribera Known as Spagnoletto (Játiva 1591 - Naples 1652), Peter's Denial ca. 1615-16
'. (accessed December 20, 2022)
Marriage records show that his father, Simón, married a second time in 1597 when Jusepe was six years old, and a third time in 1607 when he was 16, suggesting some disruption and lack of continuity in Ribera youth. Recent decades have also shed light on Ribera's presumed teacher Francesc Ribalta, whose early works exhibit a
mannerist Mannerism is a style in European art that emerged in the later years of the Italian High Renaissance around 1520, spreading by about 1530 and lasting until about the end of the 16th century in Italy, when the Baroque style largely replaced it ...
style, and is now known to have only reached his final and mature period, reflecting a realist and Caravaggesque current about 1614, at which point Ribera is already documented working in Italy. Some historians also believe Ribera's drawing technique shows a thoroughly Italian education and influences. Records show Ribera was in
Parma Parma (; ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, Giuseppe Verdi, music, art, prosciutto (ham), Parmesan, cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,986 inhabitants as of 2025, ...
, Italy in June 1611, where he received payment for a painting of ''Saint Martin Sharing His Cloak with a Beggar'', for the Church of San Prospero. It is notable and some indication of Ribera's reputation that a foreigner, at the age 20, was given a commission for a public altarpiece.
Ludovico Carracci Ludovico (or Lodovico) Carracci ( , , ; 21 April 1555 – 13 November 1619) was an Italian early-Baroque painter, etcher, and printmaker from Bologna. His works are characterized by a strong mood invoked by broad gestures and flickering li ...
wrote in 1618, that Ribera was under the protection of the ducal family (
House of Farnese The House of Farnese (, also , ) was an influential family in Renaissance Italy. The titles of Duke of Parma and Piacenza, Duke of Latera and Duke of Castro were held by various members of the family. Its most important members included Po ...
) while in Parma which aroused some resentment from local artist. The painting, now lost, is known from copies and prints and was often praised in the local literature until it was taken by
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
's troops. The artist is next confirmed in Rome in October 1613, where records show he was a member of the
Accademia di San Luca The Accademia di San Luca () is an Italian academy of artists in Rome. The establishment of the Accademia de i Pittori e Scultori di Roma was approved by papal brief in 1577, and in 1593 Federico Zuccari became its first ''principe'' or director; ...
. Parish registries ('' Status animarum'') verify he observed Easter in 1615 and 1616 and was living in a house on the
Via Margutta Via Margutta is a narrow street in the centre of Rome, near Piazza del Popolo, accessible from Via del Babuino in the ancient Campo Marzio neighborhood also known as ''"the foreigner's quarter"''. Mount Pincio is nearby. Via Margutta origi ...
, then known as the foreigners quarter, with others including his brothers Jerónimo, and Juan who is also known to have been a painter. At that time Rome was the most important center of painting, "the fountainhead of the Baroque",Janson, H. W. 1977. ''History of Art: A Survey of the Major Visual Arts from the Dawn of History to the Present Day'', 2nd ed. Harry N. Abrams, Inc., Publishers, New York. 767 pp. (page 483) where artist from throughout Europe gravitated, including painters such as
Gerrit van Honthorst Gerard van Honthorst (Dutch: ''Gerrit van Honthorst''; 4 November 1592 – 27 April 1656) was a Dutch Golden Age painter who became known for his depiction of artificially lit scenes, eventually receiving the nickname ''Gherardo delle Notti' ...
from the Netherlands,
Simon Vouet Simon Vouet (; 9 January 1590 – 30 June 1649) was a French painter who studied and rose to prominence in Italy before being summoned by Louis XIII to serve as Premier peintre du Roi in France. He and his studio of artists created religious and ...
from France,
Adam Elsheimer Adam Elsheimer (18 March 1578 – 11 December 1610) was a German artist working in Rome, who died at only thirty-two, but was very influential in the early 17th century in the field of Baroque paintings. His relatively few paintings were sma ...
from Germany, and many others, all exploring various aspects of
chiaroscuro In art, chiaroscuro ( , ; ) is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition. It is also a technical term used by artists and art historians for the use of contrasts of light to ach ...
and
tenebrism Tenebrism, from Italian ('dark, gloomy, mysterious'), also occasionally called dramatic illumination, is a style of painting using especially pronounced chiaroscuro, where there are violent contrasts of light and dark, and where darkness become ...
in the wake of
Caravaggio Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (also Michele Angelo Merigi or Amerighi da Caravaggio; 29 September 1571 – 18 July 1610), known mononymously as Caravaggio, was an Italian painter active in Rome for most of his artistic life. During the fina ...
.Dupont, Jacques and Francois Mathey. 1951. ''The Seventeenth Century: The New Developments in Art from Caravaggio to Vermeer''. Editions D'Art Albert Skira, Geneva, Switzerland. 136 pp. (Pages 31, 123-24, & 131) The last records of the artist in Rome are a payment of promised alms to the Accademia de San Luca in May 1616, and a bank transaction in July 1616. In his ''Considerazioni sulla pittura'' (1614–1621)
Giulio Mancini Giulio Mancini (21 February 1559 – 22 August 1630) was a seicento physician, art collector, art dealer and writer on a range of subjects. His writings on contemporary artists like Caravaggio and Annibale Carracci remain one of our earliest sourc ...
wrote a brief account of Ribera's time in Rome. He stated that
Guido Reni Guido Reni (; 4 November 1575 – 18 August 1642) was an Italian Baroque painter, although his works showed a classical manner, similar to Simon Vouet, Nicolas Poussin, and Philippe de Champaigne. He painted primarily religious works, but al ...
was an admirer of Ribera's work and that a painter of Ribera's disposition had not been seen in the city for many years, exceptionally high praise in reference to an art center like Rome. He characterized Ribera as a follower of
Caravaggio Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (also Michele Angelo Merigi or Amerighi da Caravaggio; 29 September 1571 – 18 July 1610), known mononymously as Caravaggio, was an Italian painter active in Rome for most of his artistic life. During the fina ...
, but more experimental and bolder. According to Mancini, Ribera began working for daily wages in other artists workshops and in time developed a strong reputation and was making great profits. He wrote that Ribera had some problems with Roman authorities when he neglected his Easter confession one year (likely 1614 or earlier). Mancini stated that Ribera could also be lazy at times, indulged in extravagant spending, and that he left Rome in order to avoid his creditors. Mancini, Giulio. 1614–21. ''Considerazioni sulla pittura'': Vol. I. ''Considerazioni sulla Pittura'', ''Viaggio per Roma'', & Appendici, ed. Adriana Marucchi, Roma, 1956. Vol. II. ''Commenta alle Opere del Mancini di Luigi Salerno'', Roma, 1957. [''Considerations on Painting'': Vol. I, ''Considerations on Painting'', ''Journey to Rome'', & Appendix, ed. Adriana Marucchi, Rome, 1956. Vol. II, ''Comment on the Works of Mancini by Luigi Salerno'', Rome, 1957]


Neapolitan period (1616–1643)

The Kingdom of Naples was part of the Spanish Empire during Ribera's lifetime, and was ruled by a succession of Spanish List of viceroys of Naples, Viceroys. In 1616, Ribera moved to
Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
permanently, in order to avoid his creditors (according to
Giulio Mancini Giulio Mancini (21 February 1559 – 22 August 1630) was a seicento physician, art collector, art dealer and writer on a range of subjects. His writings on contemporary artists like Caravaggio and Annibale Carracci remain one of our earliest sourc ...
, who described him as living beyond his means despite a high income). In November, 1616, Ribera married Caterina Azzolino, the daughter of a Sicilian-born Neapolitan painter, Giovanni Bernardino Azzolino, whose connections in the Neapolitan art world helped to establish Ribera early on as a major figure whose presence was to have a lasting impact on the art of the city. His Spanish nationality aligned him with the small Spanish governing class in the city, as well as with important collectors and art dealers from the
Spanish Netherlands The Spanish Netherlands (; ; ; ) (historically in Spanish: , the name "Flanders" was used as a '' pars pro toto'') was the Habsburg Netherlands ruled by the Spanish branch of the Habsburgs from 1556 to 1714. They were a collection of States of t ...
. At this point Ribera began to sign his work as "Jusepe de Ribera, español" ("Jusepe de Ribera, Spaniard"). He was able to quickly attract the attention of the Viceroy,
Pedro Téllez-Girón, 3rd Duke of Osuna Pedro Téllez-Girón, 3rd Duke of Osuna (17 December 1574 – 24 September 1624) was a Spanish nobleman and politician. He was the 2nd Marquis of Peñafiel, 7th Count of Ureña, Spanish Viceroy of Sicily (1611–1616), Viceroy of Naples (1616 ...
, another recent arrival, who gave him a number of major commissions, which showed the influence of
Guido Reni Guido Reni (; 4 November 1575 – 18 August 1642) was an Italian Baroque painter, although his works showed a classical manner, similar to Simon Vouet, Nicolas Poussin, and Philippe de Champaigne. He painted primarily religious works, but al ...
. Few paintings survive from 1620 to 1626, but this was the period in which most of his best prints were produced. These were at least partly an attempt to attract attention outside of Ribera's Neapolitan circles. His career picked up in the late 1620s, and he was accepted as the leading painter in Naples thereafter. He received the Order of Christ of Portugal from
Pope Urban VIII Pope Urban VIII (; ; baptised 5 April 1568 – 29 July 1644), born Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 August 1623 to his death, in July 1644. As pope, he expanded the papal terri ...
in 1626. Although Ribera never returned to Spain, many of his paintings were taken back by returning members of the Spanish governing class, such as the Duke of Osuna, and his etchings were brought to Spain by dealers. His influence can be seen in the works of
Velázquez Velázquez, also Velazquez, Velásquez or Velasquez (, ), is a surname from Spain. It is a patronymic name, meaning "son of Velasco". References to "Velazquez" without a first name are often to the Spanish painter, Diego Velázquez. Notable peo ...
, Murillo, and most other Spanish painters of the period. He has been characterized as selfishly protecting his prosperity, and is reputed to have been chief of the so-called
Cabal of Naples The Cabal of Naples was a notorious triumvirate of painters in the city of Naples that operated during the early Baroque period from the late 1610s to the early 1640s. It was led by the Spaniard Jusepe de Ribera, who had established himself in Na ...
, his abettors being a Greek painter, Belisario Corenzio and the Neapolitan Giambattista Caracciolo. It is said this group aimed to monopolize Neapolitan art commissions, using intrigue, sabotage of work in progress, and even personal threats of violence to frighten away outside competitors such as
Annibale Carracci Annibale Carracci ( , , ; November 3, 1560 – July 15, 1609) was an Italian painter and instructor, active in Bologna and later in Rome. Along with his brother Agostino Carracci, Agostino and cousin Ludovico Carracci, Ludovico (with whom the Ca ...
, the
Cavalier d'Arpino Giuseppe Cesari (14 February 1568 – 3 July 1640) was an Italian Mannerist painter, also named Il Giuseppino and called ''Cavaliere d'Arpino'', because he was created ''Cavaliere di Cristo'' by his patron Pope Clement VIII. He was much patronize ...
, Guido Reni, and
Domenichino Domenico Zampieri (, ; October 21, 1581 – April 6, 1641), known by the diminutive Domenichino (, ) after his shortness, was an Italian Baroque painter of the Bolognese School of painters. Life Domenichino was born in Bologna, son of a shoe ...
. All of them were invited to work in Naples, but found the place inhospitable. The cabal disbanded at the time of Domenichino's death in 1641. Ribera's pupils included
Hendrick de Somer Hendrick de Somer (1602–c.1655) was a Flemish people, Flemish painter who spent most of his life and career in Italy. He was mainly active in Naples.Stadsarchief Lokeren original baptism certificate : Parochieregister Lokeren : Hendrick de So ...
, Francesco Fracanzano,
Luca Giordano Luca Giordano (18 October 1634 – 3 January 1705) was an Italian late-Baroque painter and printmaker in etching. Fluent and decorative, he worked successfully in Naples, Rome, Florence, and Venice, before spending a decade in Spain. Early l ...
, and
Bartolomeo Passante Bartolomeo Passante or Bassante (1618 – 1648) was an Italian painter of the Baroque era active in Naples. Life He was born in Brindisi. He reached Naples in 1629, where he probably studied under Jusepe de Ribera (according to Bernardo De Domi ...
. He was followed by
Giuseppe Marullo Giuseppe Marullo (died 1685, Naples) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active near his natal city of Orta di Atella.Agostino Beltrano Agostino Beltrano (between 1614 and 1618 – 1665) was an Italian painter active in the Baroque period in his native city of Naples. He was a pupil of Massimo Stanzione, the uncle of his wife, and is known to have been active in 1646. He is said ...
, Paolo Domenico Finoglio,
Giovanni Ricca Giovanni Ricca (1603 – c. 1656) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period in Naples and Southern Italy. Little is known about the painter. He trained as a follower or pupil of Giuseppe Ribera. The painting of ''Santa Caterina of Alessandria' ...
, and
Pietro Novelli Pietro Novelli (March 2, 1603 – August 27, 1647) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mainly in Palermo. Also known as ''il Monrealese'' or ''Pietro "Malta" Novelli'' to distinguish him from his father, Pietro Antonio Novelli I ...
.Jusepe Ribera
at the
Netherlands Institute for Art History The Netherlands Institute for Art History or RKD (Dutch: ), previously Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie (RKD), is located in The Hague and is home to the largest art history center in the world. The center specializes in document ...


Later life (1644–1652)

Around 1644, his daughter married a Spanish nobleman in the administration, who died soon after. From 1644, Ribera's ill health greatly reduced his ability to work, although his workshop continued to produce works under his direction. In 1647–1648, during the
uprising Rebellion is an uprising that resists and is organized against one's government. A rebel is a person who engages in a rebellion. A rebel group is a consciously coordinated group that seeks to gain political control over an entire state or a ...
against Spanish rule, he and his family took refuge in the palace of the Viceroy. In 1651 he sold his home, and was in dire financial straits by the time of his death in September 1652.


Work

His early style was influenced by the study of the Spanish and Venetian masters as well as
Caravaggio Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (also Michele Angelo Merigi or Amerighi da Caravaggio; 29 September 1571 – 18 July 1610), known mononymously as Caravaggio, was an Italian painter active in Rome for most of his artistic life. During the fina ...
and
Correggio Antonio Allegri da Correggio (August 1489 – 5 March 1534), usually known as just Correggio (, also , , ), was an Italian Renaissance painter who was the foremost painter of the Parma school of the High Renaissance, who was responsible for som ...
. His subject matter was notoriously gruesome, portraying human cruelty and violence with startling naturalism. In the early 1630s his style shifted from stark
tenebrism Tenebrism, from Italian ('dark, gloomy, mysterious'), also occasionally called dramatic illumination, is a style of painting using especially pronounced chiaroscuro, where there are violent contrasts of light and dark, and where darkness become ...
to a more diffused lighting, as seen in ''
The Clubfoot ''The Clubfoot'' (also known as ''The Club-Footed Boy'') is a 1642 oil on canvas painting by Jusepe de Ribera. It is housed in the Musée du Louvre in Paris (part of the La Caze Collection, La Caze bequest of 1869), and was painted in Naples. Art ...
'' of 1642. Nearly half of Ribera's entire oeuvre consist of half-length representations of saints, apostles, philosophers, scientists, and allegorical figures. The models for these paintings were the natives from the streets of Rome and Naples, typically humble people such as fishermen, dockworkers, elderly people, and beggars, often characterized by wrinkled skin and ragged clothes, painted with a raw visual intensity.Spinosa, Nicola. 2006. ''Ribera: The Complete Work''. Electa Napoli. Ribera’s landscapes were recorded in 18th and 19th century inventories and have been praised in historical literature. However, it was not until the late 20th century when a pair of large canvases (127 x 269 cm.) executed in 1639, were identified in the collection of the Palacio de Monterrey,
Salamanca Salamanca () is a Municipality of Spain, municipality and city in Spain, capital of the Province of Salamanca, province of the same name, located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is located in the Campo Charro comarca, in the ...
, that surviving examples of his pure landscape paintings were known modern scholars. Landscapes are rare subjects in Spanish painting before the 19th century. Among the very few examples are two small oils executed by
Velázquez Velázquez, also Velazquez, Velásquez or Velasquez (, ), is a surname from Spain. It is a patronymic name, meaning "son of Velasco". References to "Velazquez" without a first name are often to the Spanish painter, Diego Velázquez. Notable peo ...
on a visit to Italy. Contemporary historians have remarked on the originality of Ribera’s approach to the subject and noted a contrast with Roman landscape painting of the period, exemplified in the work of
Nicolas Poussin Nicolas Poussin (, , ; June 1594 – 19 November 1665) was a French painter who was a leading painter of the classical French Baroque style, although he spent most of his working life in Rome. Most of his works were on religious and mythologic ...
and
Claude Lorrain Claude Lorrain (; born Claude Gellée , called ''le Lorrain'' in French; traditionally just Claude in English; c. 1600 – 23 November 1682) was a French painter, draughtsman and etcher of the Baroque era. He spent most of his life in I ...
. Scholz-Hänsel, Michael. 2000. Jusepe de Ribera 1591 ‒ 1652. Masters of Spanish Art. Könemann Verlagsgesllschaft, Cologne. 140 pp. Art historian
Alfonso Pérez Sánchez Alfonso Emilio Pérez Sánchez (16 June 1935 – 14 August 2010) was a Spanish art historian, specialising in Baroque art. From 1983 to 1991 he was director of the Prado Museum, a period during which he led the museum's modernisation as Spain moved ...
, former director of the
Prado Museum The Museo del Prado ( ; ), officially known as Museo Nacional del Prado, is the main Spanish national art museum, located in central Madrid. It houses collections of European art, dating from the 12th century to the early 20th century, based on ...
, wrote that these landscapes “assure Ribera a principal place in the history of Neapolitan landscape painting” and that “Ribera has given the landscapes his own stamp: even without the signature they would be recognizable as his.” He executed several fine male portraits and a self-portrait. The only equestrian portrait painted by Ribera, depicting Philip IV's son and viceroy of Naples
John Joseph of Austria John Joseph of Austria or John of Austria (the Younger) (; 7 April 1629 – 17 September 1679) was a Spanish general and political figure. He was the only illegitimate son of Philip IV of Spain to be acknowledged by the King and trained for m ...
, is exhibited in the
Royal Collections Gallery The Royal Collections Gallery (), originally named the Royal Collections Museum, is an art museum in Madrid. Run by Patrimonio Nacional, it is located in a new building above the gardens of the Campo del Moro park and next to the Almudena Cathedra ...
. He was an important
etcher Etching is traditionally the process of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio (incised) in the metal. In modern manufacturing, other chemicals may be used on other types ...
—indeed, the most significant Spanish printmaker before
Goya Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (; ; 30 March 1746 – 16 April 1828) was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker. He is considered the most important Spanish artist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His paintings, drawings, an ...
—producing about forty prints, nearly all in the 1620s. Some major works include ''
Saint Januarius Januarius ( ; ; Neapolitan and ), also known as , was Bishop of Benevento and is a martyr A martyr (, ''mártys'', 'witness' Word stem, stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing ...
Emerging from the Furnace'' in
Naples Cathedral The Naples Cathedral (; ), or the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary (), is a Roman Catholic cathedral, the main church of Naples, southern Italy, and the seat of the Archbishop of Naples. It is widely known as the Cathedral of Saint Januarius ...
; the ''Descent from the Cross'' in the
Certosa di San Martino The ("List of Carthusian monasteries, Charterhouse of St. Martin") is a former monastery complex, now a National Museum of San Martino, museum, in Naples, southern Italy. Along with Castel Sant'Elmo that stands beside it, this is the most visible ...
, Naples; the ''Adoration of the Shepherds'' (1650) in the
Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is a national art museum in Paris, France, and one of the most famous museums in the world. It is located on the Rive Droite, Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement of Paris, 1st arron ...
; the '' Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew'' in the
Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya The (; ), abbreviated as MNAC (), is a museum of Catalonia, Catalan visual art located in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Situated on Montjuïc hill at the end of Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina, near Plaça d'Espanya, Barcelona, Pl Espanya, th ...
,
Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
; and the ''Pieta'' in the sacristy of San Martino, Naples. His mythologic subjects are often as violent as his martyrdoms, the most famous being his renditions of ''Apollo and
Marsyas In Greek mythology, the satyr Marsyas (; ) is a central figure in two stories involving music: in one, he picked up the double oboe (''aulos'') that had been abandoned by Athena and played it; in the other, he challenged Apollo to a contest of ...
,'' now in Brussels and Naples, and his ''
Tityos Tityos or Tityus (Ancient Greek: Τιτυός) was a giant from Greek mythology. Family Tityos was the son of the mortal princess Elara and the god Zeus. He had a daughter named Europa who coupled with Poseidon and gave birth to Euphemus, o ...
'', now in the
Museo del Prado The Museo del Prado ( ; ), officially known as Museo Nacional del Prado, is the main Spanish national art museum, located in central Madrid. It houses collections of Art of Europe, European art, dating from the 12th century to the early 20th ce ...
. Alongside eleven drawings, the Prado owns fifty-six paintings and another six attributed to Ribera such as ''
Jacob’s Dream ''Jacob's Dream'' () is a 1639 oil-on-canvas painting by the Spanish Tenebrist painter José de Ribera (''Lo Spagnoletto''). Description It measures and is in the Museo del Prado in Madrid. Analysis Jacob appears as a shepherd sleeping, res ...
'' (1639), ''
The Martyrdom of Saint Philip ''The Martyrdom of Saint Philip '' ( Spanish: ''Martirio de San Felipe'') is a painting by Jusepe de Ribera from 1639. It is considered one of his best works. The Spanish critic Eugenio d'Ors said of it " almost, almost like a Russian ballet." T ...
'' (1639; often described as
Saint Bartholomew Bartholomew was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Most scholars today identify Bartholomew as Nathanael, who appears in the Gospel of John (1:45–51; cf. 21:2). New Testament references The name ''Bartholomew ...
due to overlapping iconography) or ''Saint Jerome Writing'' (1644), credited to him by Gianni Papi, a Caravaggio expert; the Louvre contain four of his paintings and seven drawings; the
National Gallery, London The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, in Central London, England. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of more than 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The current dire ...
owns three;"Jusepe de Ribera, Rm 30", The National Gallery
/ref> and the
Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando The Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando (RABASF; ), located on the Calle de Alcalá in the centre of Madrid, currently functions as a museum and gallery. A public law corporation, it is integrated together with other Spanish royal aca ...
owns an ensemble of five paintings including '' The Assumption of Mary Magdalene'' from
El Escorial El Escorial, or the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial (), or (), is a historical residence of the king of Spain located in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, up the valley ( road distance) from the town of El Escorial, Madrid, El ...
, and an early ''Ecce Homo'' or ''The head of St John the Baptist''.


Legacy

Salvator Rosa Salvator Rosa (1615 – March 15, 1673) is best known today as an Italian Baroque painter, whose romanticized landscapes and history paintings, often set in dark and untamed nature, exerted considerable influence from the 17th century into the ...
and
Luca Giordano Luca Giordano (18 October 1634 – 3 January 1705) was an Italian late-Baroque painter and printmaker in etching. Fluent and decorative, he worked successfully in Naples, Rome, Florence, and Venice, before spending a decade in Spain. Early l ...
were his most distinguished followers, who may have been his pupils; others were also Giovanni Do, the Flemish painter
Hendrick de Somer Hendrick de Somer (1602–c.1655) was a Flemish people, Flemish painter who spent most of his life and career in Italy. He was mainly active in Naples.Stadsarchief Lokeren original baptism certificate : Parochieregister Lokeren : Hendrick de So ...
(known in Italy as 'Enrico Fiammingo'), Michelangelo Fracanzani, and
Aniello Falcone Aniello Falcone or Ancillo Falcone' (15 November 16001656) was an Italian Baroque painter, active in Naples and noted for his painted depictions of battle scenes. Biography Born in Naples to a tradesman, he showed his artistic tendency at an ea ...
, who was the first considerable painter of battle-pieces. Ribera's work remained in fashion after his death, largely through the adoption of his hyper-naturalistic depictions of violence in the paintings of pupils like Luca Giordano.Johnson, Paul. ''Art: A New History'', Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2003. The gradual rehabilitation of his international reputation was aided by exhibitions in Princeton in 1973, of his prints and drawings, and of works in all media in London at the
Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House in Piccadilly London, England. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its ...
in 1982 and in New York at the
Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art, colloquially referred to as the Met, is an Encyclopedic museum, encyclopedic art museum in New York City. By floor area, it is the List of largest museums, third-largest museum in the world and the List of larg ...
in 1992. Since then his ''oeuvre'' has gained more attention from critics and scholars. In 2006, a
catalogue raisonné A (or critical catalogue) is an annotated listing of the works of an artist or group of artists and can contain all works or a selection of works categorised by different parameters such as medium or period. A ''catalogue raisonné'' is normal ...
of Ribera's work was published, written by the former director of the
Museo di Capodimonte Museo di Capodimonte is an art museum located in the Palace of Capodimonte, a grand Bourbon palazzo in Naples, Italy designed by Giovanni Antonio Medrano. The museum is the prime repository of Neapolitan painting and decorative art, with se ...
in Naples, Nicola Spinosa.


Selected works


Oil paintings

History painting History painting is a genre in painting defined by its subject matter rather than any artistic style or specific period. History paintings depict a moment in a narrative story, most often (but not exclusively) Greek and Roman mythology and B ...
s (oil on canvas unless noted otherwise) File:Jusepe de Ribera - Martyrdom of St Lawrence - Google Art Project.jpg, ''Martyrdom of
Saint Lawrence Saint Lawrence or Laurence (; 31 December 225 – 10 August 258) was one of the seven deacons of the city of Rome under Pope Sixtus II who were martyred in the Persecution of Christians, persecution of the Christians that the Roman Empire, Rom ...
'', 1620–1624, 208 x 155 cm.,
National Gallery of Victoria The National Gallery of Victoria, popularly known as the NGV, is an art museum in Melbourne, Victoria (state), Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1861, it is Australia's oldest and list of most visited art museums in the world, most visited art mu ...
File:José de Ribera - St Jerome and the Angel - WGA19365.jpg, ''
Saint Jerome Jerome (; ; ; – 30 September 420), also known as Jerome of Stridon, was an early Christian priest, confessor, theologian, translator, and historian; he is commonly known as Saint Jerome. He is best known for his translation of the Bible ...
and the Angel'', 1626, 262 x 164 cm.,
Museo di Capodimonte Museo di Capodimonte is an art museum located in the Palace of Capodimonte, a grand Bourbon palazzo in Naples, Italy designed by Giovanni Antonio Medrano. The museum is the prime repository of Neapolitan painting and decorative art, with se ...
File:Jusepe de Ribera - Martyrdom of Saint Andrew - Google Art Project.jpg, ''Martyrdom of
Saint Andrew Andrew the Apostle ( ; ; ; ) was an apostle of Jesus. According to the New Testament, he was a fisherman and one of the Twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus. The title First-Called () used by the Eastern Orthodox Church stems from the Gospel of Jo ...
'', 1628. 209 x 183 cm.,
Museum of Fine Arts (Budapest) The Museum of Fine Arts (, ) is a museum in Heroes' Square (Budapest), Heroes' Square, Budapest, Hungary, facing the Kunsthalle Budapest, Palace of Art. It was built by the plans of Albert Schickedanz and Fülöp Herzog in an Eclecticism in ar ...
File:Sileno ebrio, por José de Ribera.jpg, ''Drunken
Silenus In Greek mythology, Silenus (; , ) was a companion and tutor to the wine god Dionysus. He is typically older than the satyrs of the Dionysian retinue ('' thiasos''), and sometimes considerably older, in which case he may be referred to as a Pa ...
'', 1626, 185 x 229 cm., Museo di Capodimonte File:Ixion by Jusepe de Ribera (1632), 220 x 301 cm., Museo del Prado.jpg,
Ixion In Greek mythology, Ixion ( ; ) was king of the Lapiths, the most ancient tribe of Thessaly. Family Ixion was the son of Ares, or Leonteus (mythology), Leonteus, or Antion and Perimele, or the notorious evildoer Phlegyas, whose name connotes " ...
, 1632, 220 x 301 cm.,
Museo del Prado The Museo del Prado ( ; ), officially known as Museo Nacional del Prado, is the main Spanish national art museum, located in central Madrid. It houses collections of Art of Europe, European art, dating from the 12th century to the early 20th ce ...
File:Ribera-ticio.jpg, ''
Tityos Tityos or Tityus (Ancient Greek: Τιτυός) was a giant from Greek mythology. Family Tityos was the son of the mortal princess Elara and the god Zeus. He had a daughter named Europa who coupled with Poseidon and gave birth to Euphemus, o ...
'', 1632, 227 x 301 cm., Museo del Prado File:José de Ribera - La Piedad.jpg, ''
Pietà The Pietà (; meaning "pity", "compassion") is a subject in Christian art depicting the Mary (mother of Jesus), Blessed Virgin Mary cradling the mortal body of Jesus Christ after his Descent from the Cross. It is most often found in sculpture. ...
'', 1633, 157 x 210 cm.,
Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum The Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum (, ; named after its founder, Baron Heinrich Thyssen, Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza), or simply the Thyssen, is an art museum in Madrid, Spain, located near the Museo del Prado, Prado Museum on one of the city ...
File:Ribera - La Trinidad, P001069 (cropped).jpg,
Trinity The Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the Christian doctrine concerning the nature of God, which defines one God existing in three, , consubstantial divine persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit, thr ...
, 1635–36, 226 x 118, cm., Museo del Prado File:José de Ribera - Asunción de la Magdalena - Google Art Project.jpg, ''
Assumption Assumption, in Christianity, refers to the Assumption of Mary, a belief in the taking up of the Virgin Mary into heaven. Assumption may also refer to: Places * Assumption, Alberta, Canada * Assumption, Illinois, United States ** Assumption Town ...
of
Mary Magdalen Mary Magdalene (sometimes called Mary of Magdala, or simply the Magdalene or the Madeleine) was a woman who, according to the four canonical gospels, traveled with Jesus as one of his followers and was a witness to crucifixion of Jesus, his cr ...
'', 1636, 256 x 193 cm.,
Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando The Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando (RABASF; ), located on the Calle de Alcalá in the centre of Madrid, currently functions as a museum and gallery. A public law corporation, it is integrated together with other Spanish royal aca ...
File:José de Ribera - Apollo Flaying Marsyas - WGA19374.jpg, ''
Apollo Apollo is one of the Twelve Olympians, Olympian deities in Ancient Greek religion, ancient Greek and Ancient Roman religion, Roman religion and Greek mythology, Greek and Roman mythology. Apollo has been recognized as a god of archery, mu ...
Flaying
Marsyas In Greek mythology, the satyr Marsyas (; ) is a central figure in two stories involving music: in one, he picked up the double oboe (''aulos'') that had been abandoned by Athena and played it; in the other, he challenged Apollo to a contest of ...
'', 1637, 202 x 255 cm.,
Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium (, ; , ) are a group of art museums in Brussels, Belgium. They are part of the institutions of the Belgian Federal Science Policy Office (BELSPO) and consist of six museums: the Oldmasters Museum, the ...
File:José de Ribera 058.jpg, ''Pietà'', 1637, 264 x 170 cm.,
National Museum of San Martino The National Museum of San Martino is a museum opened to the public in Naples in 1866, after the unification of Italy, after the Charterhouse included among the suppressed ecclesiastical assets, was declared a national monument. By the will of the ...
File:José de Ribera 048.jpg, ''
Jacob Jacob, later known as Israel, is a Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions. He first appears in the Torah, where he is described in the Book of Genesis as a son of Isaac and Rebecca. Accordingly, alongside his older fraternal twin brother E ...
's Dream'', 1639, 179 × 233 cm., Museo del Prado File:José de Ribera 054.jpg, ''The Martyrdom of Saint Philip'', 1639, 214 × 234 cm., Museo del Prado File:San Pablo Ermitaño, por José de Ribera.jpg, '' Saint Paul the Hermit'', 1640, 143 × 143 cm., Museo del Prado File:Napoli-Ribera-San-Gennaro.jpg, ''
San Gennaro Januarius ( ; ; Neapolitan and ), also known as , was Bishop of Benevento and is a martyr and saint of the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, and Armenian Apostolic Church. While no contemporary sources on his life are preserved, later ...
Emerging Unharmed from the Furnace'', 1641-47 copper panel, 320 x 200 cm., Royal Chapel of the Treasure of St. Januarius File:José de Ribera - Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew - Google Art Project.jpg, ''Martyrdom of
Saint Bartholomew Bartholomew was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Most scholars today identify Bartholomew as Nathanael, who appears in the Gospel of John (1:45–51; cf. 21:2). New Testament references The name ''Bartholomew ...
'', 1644, 202 x 153 cm.,
Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya The (; ), abbreviated as MNAC (), is a museum of Catalonia, Catalan visual art located in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Situated on Montjuïc hill at the end of Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina, near Plaça d'Espanya, Barcelona, Pl Espanya, th ...
File:Testa del Battista - Jusepe de Ribera (Naples).jpg, ''Head of
John the Baptist John the Baptist ( – ) was a Jewish preacher active in the area of the Jordan River in the early first century AD. He is also known as Saint John the Forerunner in Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy, John the Immerser in some Baptist ...
''. 1646, 66 × 78 cm.,
Museo Civico Filangieri The Museo Civico Filangieri ("Filangieri civic museum") is an eclectic collection of artworks, coins, and books assembled in the nineteenth century by Gaetano Filangieri, prince of Satriano, who gave it to the city of Naples as a museum. It is ho ...
File:La Sagrada Familia, por José de Ribera.jpg, ''The
Holy Family The Holy Family consists of the Child Jesus, the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph. The subject became popular in art from the 1490s on,Ainsworth, 122 but veneration of the Holy Family was formally begun in the 17th century by Saint François de La ...
with
Saint Anne According to apocrypha, as well as Christianity, Christian and Islamic tradition, Saint Anne was the mother of Mary, mother of Jesus, Mary, the wife of Joachim and the maternal grandmother of Jesus. Mary's mother is not named in the Bible's Gosp ...
and
Catherine of Alexandria Catherine of Alexandria, also spelled Katherine, was, according to tradition, a Christian saint and Virginity, virgin, who was martyred in the early 4th century at the hands of the emperor Maxentius. According to her hagiography, she was both a ...
'', 1648, 209.6 x 154.3 cm.,
Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art, colloquially referred to as the Met, is an Encyclopedic museum, encyclopedic art museum in New York City. By floor area, it is the List of largest museums, third-largest museum in the world and the List of larg ...
Allegories, philosophers, apostles and saints File:Allegory of Smell Jose de Ribera.jpg, ''Allegory of Smell'', ca. 1611–16, 115 x 88 cm., private collection File:José de Ribera 014.jpg, ''Allegory of Taste'', ca. 1611–16, 113.5 x 88.3 cm.,
Wadsworth Atheneum The Wadsworth Atheneum is an art museum in Hartford, Connecticut. The Wadsworth is noted for its collections of European Baroque art, ancient Egyptian and Classical bronzes, French and American Impressionism, Impressionist paintings, Hudson Riv ...
File:José de Ribera 018.jpg, ''Allegory of Touch'', ca. 1611–16, 116 x: 88.3 cm.,
Norton Simon Museum The Norton Simon Museum is an art museum located in Pasadena, California. It was previously known as the Pasadena Art Institute and the Pasadena Art Museum and displays numerous sculptures on its grounds. Overview The Norton Simon collections ...
File:San Pedro Ribera (Prado).jpg, ''Apostle, Saint Peter'', 1630–1635, 75 x 64 cm.,
Museo del Prado The Museo del Prado ( ; ), officially known as Museo Nacional del Prado, is the main Spanish national art museum, located in central Madrid. It houses collections of Art of Europe, European art, dating from the 12th century to the early 20th ce ...
File:Ribera - San Bartolomé, P001099 (cropped).jpg, ''Apostle, Saint Bartholomew'', 1630–1635, 77 x 64 cm., Museo del Prado File:A Philosopher LACMA M.91.125.2.jpg, ''Philosopher'' (''Plato''), 1637, 124.4 x 99 cm.,
Los Angeles County Museum of Art The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is an art museum located on Wilshire Boulevard in the Miracle Mile vicinity of Los Angeles. LACMA is on Museum Row, adjacent to the La Brea Tar Pits (George C. Page Museum). LACMA was founded in 1961 ...
File:Ribera - Protagoras, 1637.jpg, ''Philosopher'' (''Protagoras''), 1637, 124.1 x 98.4 cm., Wadsworth Atheneum File:Ribera, Jusepe de - Aristotle - Google Art Project.jpg, ''Philosopher'' (''Aristotle''), 1637, 124.4 x 99 cm.,
Indianapolis Museum of Art The Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA) is an encyclopedic art museum located at Newfields, a campus that also houses Lilly House, The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park, the Garden at Newfields and more. It is located at the corner of No ...
File:Jusepe de Ribera - Saint Onophrius - 36.891 - Museum of Fine Arts.jpg, ''Saint Onophrius'', 1642, 129.5 x 101.3 cm.,
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston The Museum of Fine Arts (often abbreviated as MFA Boston or MFA) is an art museum in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the list of largest art museums, 20th-largest art museum in the world, measured by public gallery area. It contains 8,161 painting ...
File:Ribera - Saint Jérôme pénitent, MNR329 (cropped).jpg, ''Saint Jerome in Penitence'', no date, 128 x 102 cm.,
Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is a national art museum in Paris, France, and one of the most famous museums in the world. It is located on the Rive Droite, Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement of Paris, 1st arron ...
File:Ribera - Paulus Eremita St. Paulus, der Eremit, 1647, WRM 2553 (cropped).jpg, ''Saint Paul the Hermit'', 1647, 130 x 103.5 cm,
Wallraf–Richartz Museum The Wallraf–Richartz Museum (full name in German: ') is an art museum in Cologne, Germany, with a collection of fine art from the medieval period to the early twentieth century. It is one of the three major List of museums in Cologne, museums ...
File:José de Ribera 045.jpg, ''Saint Simeon with the Infant Jesus'', 1647, 113 x 93 cm., private collection File:S. Maria Egiziaca by Jusepe de Ribera.jpg, ''Saint Mary of Egypt'', 1651, 88 x 71 cm.,
Museo Civico Filangieri The Museo Civico Filangieri ("Filangieri civic museum") is an eclectic collection of artworks, coins, and books assembled in the nineteenth century by Gaetano Filangieri, prince of Satriano, who gave it to the city of Naples as a museum. It is ho ...
File:José de Ribera 011.jpg, ''The Penitent Saint Jerome'', 1652, 77.2 × 71.8 cm., Museo del Prado


Drawings

File:Ribera, Study of Bat & Ears, ca. 1622, red chalk & wash,16 x 27.8 cm., Metropolitan Museum Art.jpg, ''Study of Bat & Ears'', ca. 1622, red chalk & wash,16 x 27.8 cm.,
Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art, colloquially referred to as the Met, is an Encyclopedic museum, encyclopedic art museum in New York City. By floor area, it is the List of largest museums, third-largest museum in the world and the List of larg ...
File:Ribera, Head of a Satyr, ca. 1625 –30, red chalk, 30.3 x 21.1 cm., Metropolitan Museum.jpg, ''Head of a Satyr'', ca. 1625–30, red chalk, 30.3 x 21.1 cm., Metropolitan Museum of Art File:José de Ribera - Christ beaten by a tormentor (cropped).jpg, ''Christ Beaten by a Tormentor'', ca. 1626, red chalk, 18.4 x 21.5 cm.
British Museum The British Museum is a Museum, public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is the largest in the world. It documents the story of human cu ...
File:José de Ribera - Acróbatas en la cuerda. - Google Art Project (cropped).jpg, ''Acrobats on a High Wire'', ca. 1634–35, pen & wash, 25.7 x 19.8 cm.,
Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando The Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando (RABASF; ), located on the Calle de Alcalá in the centre of Madrid, currently functions as a museum and gallery. A public law corporation, it is integrated together with other Spanish royal aca ...
File:Ribera - Escena fantástica caballero con hombrecillos encaramándose a su cuerpo, D008743 (cropped).jpg, ''Fantastic Scene'', pen & ink, 18.4 x 11 cm. private collection, Madrid File:Man in a Toga MET DP800293 (cropped).jpg, ''Man in a Toga'', 1640s, pen & wash, 21 x 10 cm., Metropolitan Museum File:Ribera - Man Bound to a Stake, 1963.24.614 (cropped).jpg, ''Man Bound to a Stake'', 1940s, pen & wash, 21.6 x 16.3 cm.
California Palace of the Legion of Honor The Legion of Honor, formally known as the California Palace of the Legion of Honor, is an art museum located in San Francisco, on the West Side of the city. Located in Lincoln Park, the Legion of Honor is a component of the Fine Arts Museum ...
File:Ribera, Virgin of the Crescent Moon, 1591–52, pen, ink & wash, Metropolitan.jpg, ''Virgin of the Crescent Moon'', 1551–52, pen, ink & wash, 24 x 16.5 cm., Metropolitan Museum of Art


Prints: 1616–1630

File:Jusepe de Ribera - Large Grotesque Head - Google Art Project (cropped).jpg, ''Large Grotesque Head'', ca. 1617–27, etching, 22.3 x 15 cm. File:Jusepe de Ribera (cropped).jpg, ''Studies of Noses and Mouths'', ca. 1622, etching, 14.7 x 22.2 cm. File:Ribera - Studies of Ears, 1986.82.jpg, ''Studies of Ears'', 1622, etching, 14.6 x 22.2 cm. File:Ribera - Saint Jerome Listening to the Trumpet of the Last Judgment, 1927.5204.jpg, ''St. Jerome and the Trumpet of the Last Judgment'', ca. 1621, etching & engraving, 31.5 x 23.6 cm. File:Ribera Martyrdom of St. Bartholomew.jpg, ''Martyrdom of St. Bartholomew'', 1624, etching & engraving, 31.6 x 23.7 cm. File:Рибера Силен.jpg, ''Drunken Silenus'', etching & engraving, 27.3 x 35.5 cm.


Notes


References

* Main source: Scholz-Hänsel, Michael. (2000). '' Jusepe de Ribera, 1591–1652''. Cologne: Könemann.


Further reading

*Brown, Jonathan. (1973). ''Jusepe de Ribera: prints and drawings; atalogue of an exhibitionThe Art Museum, Princeton University, October–November 1973''. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University. the standard work on his prints and drawings. * * ull text resource


External links

*
Scholarly articles
in English about Jusepe de Ribera, lo Spagnoletto both in web an
PDF
@ th
Spanish Old Masters Gallery
*
''The bearded woman'', Work of the month – Ducal House of Medinaceli Foundation
* Curators in Conversation
Ribera
Gabriele Finaldi, Director, National Gallery, London, and Edward Payne, Curator, Spanish Art, Auckland Castle Trust, discuss Ribera. {{DEFAULTSORT:Ribera, Jusepe De 1591 births 1652 deaths People from Xàtiva Artists from the Valencian Community Spanish Baroque painters Spanish Roman Catholics Painters from Naples 17th-century Italian painters Italian male painters Italian Baroque painters Spanish printmakers Caravaggisti