Jusepe de Ribera Art: 8 Jusepe de Ribera Paintings

Jusepe de Ribera (1591-1652) was an influential seventeenth-century painter and printmaker. Along with Diego Velázquez, the Spanish artist's work exemplified Baroque art. One of the most prominent Spanish artists of the era, Jusepe earned the nickname of "lo Spagnoletto," or "the little Spaniard."

Jusepe made an impact on Baroque art and artists, as well as art history as a whole.

• Early life: The son of a shoemaker, Jusepe de Ribera (also known as José de Ribera) was born in 1591 in a small town just outside of Valencia, Spain, called San Felipe de Játiva (now known as Xàtiva). He reportedly started his art career as an apprentice of Francisco Ribalta. Eventually, Jusepe, a fan of Italian artist Caravaggio, headed to Italy.
• Early career: The artist spent most of his career in Italy, starting in Rome and Parma. In Parma, he worked on Saint Martin and the Beggar, a now-lost painting he created for the Church of San Prospero. He then went on to Naples.
• Becoming Jusepe de Ribera: At the time, Naples belonged to the Spanish Empire. It’s here where Ribera’s art career started to take off, and he began to sign his paintings "Jusepe de Ribera español," or "Jusepe de Ribera Spaniard."
• Royal commissions: Ribera did several commissions for Spanish Viceroy Pedro Téllez-Girón, Third Duke of Osuna. Although few of Ribera’s paintings from this period survived, he gained respect in Italy and beyond. Pope Urban VIII bestowed him with the Order of Christ.
• Personal life: Ribera married Caterina Azzolino, the daughter of Giovanni Bernardino Azzolino, a Sicilian-Neapolitan painter and sculptor.
• Later life: Around 1644, Ribera became extremely ill, making it difficult to work. Ribera continued to oversee his printmaking workshop.
• Influence on other artists: While Caravaggio and Guido Reni served as inspirations for Jusepe, the Spanish painter inspired other artists, including Luca Giordano, Francisco de Zurbarán, Bartolomé Esteban Perez Murillo, and Luca Giordano.

Ribera's art style softened in his later years when spirituality became a bigger focal point for him. Here are a few other characteristics of his work:

1. 1. Use of tenebrism: Ribera made use of light and shadows. He created haunting, evocative images, which featured bright colors in the forefront, set against a dark, somber background.
2. 2. Religious themes: Although not all of Ribera’s works are religious, many do deal with Jesus, the Madonna, martyrdom, and being penitent. Salvation is also a persistent theme.
3. 3. Naturalism: His mind captures the natural and sometimes daily states of martyrdom and penance.

While not all of Ribera’s works survived, major museums, such as the Louvre, the Met, and Museo Nacional del Prado, have exhibited his work.

1. 1. Drunken Silenus: This piece features Silenus, who in Greek mythology worked closely with Dionysus, the god of wine. In Ribera’s work, symbols of slothfulness and death surround him.
2. 2. The Holy Family with Saints Anne and Catherine of Alexandria: On display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, this piece has elements of Caravaggio and Raphael.
3. 3. Immaculate Conception: The artist painted this oil on canvas piece of the Virgin Mary in 1637.
4. 4. Jacob's Dream: This piece shows Jacob sleeping, inspired by a story from the Book of Genesis. Museums in Madrid, New York, and Naples have displayed the piece.
5. 5. The Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew: The painting illustrates Saint Bartholomew before he's killed. The work of art is on display at the National Gallery of Art.
6. 6. Pietà: Dark and haunting, this painting depicts Christ and his caregivers and cherubs at his side. The tenebrist artist created the piece for Tesoro Nuovo chapel in the Certosa di San Martino in Naples.
7. 7. Saint Jerome Hearing the Trumpet of the Last Judgment: A scene depicted by several other artists, Jusepe's versions feature engraving and etching.
8. 8. Tityus: This artwork shows an eagle eternally torturing the Greek mythology figure Tityus. The Museo Nacional del Prado has featured this work as part of various exhibitions.

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