Oil on canvas, relined
Italy, 17th century
Attributed to Jusepe de Ribera (1588/91-1652) - Spanish painter
Dimensions: 72 x 92 cm
Good condition
Provenance: Private collection, Southern Germany
The naturalistic style of the works by Jusepe de Ribera, active in Naples at the beginning of the 17th century, significantly influenced the Neapolitan 17th century School

The present painting is the work of Jusepe de Ribera (1588/91-1652) in Naples. Ribera is regarded as one of the most influential painters of the 17th century, and he had a large number of followers. One of Ribera’s favorite subjects was the depiction of saints and hermits. In particular, the representation of St. Jerome was enormously popular, as Ribera’s several autograph versions and prints testify. The present painting features Saint Jerome with his red cape in the wilderness, a skull lying right in front of him. The representation is characterized by a great power of emotional expression and a perspective foreshortening, typical for the time.

The painting is in good condition, showing light wear and color losses to the corners and the margins. Inspection under UV light reveals scattered areas of retouching throughout the representation, especially in the figure of the saint and at the margins. The image dimensions are 72 x 92 cm.

Jusepe de Ribera (1591-1652)

Born in Valencia, Jusepe de Ribera was active in Naples in the early 17th century. Because of his nationality, he was called ‘lo Spagnoletto’ (the little Spaniard). Ribera studied the works of Raphael and the Carracci in Rome, as well as those of Correggio in Parma and Modena. In Naples, he was influenced by Caravaggio's works. In 1630, he was a member of the Accademia di San Luca in Rome. In 1644, he received the Order of Christ by the Pope. He also worked as court painter to the Duke of Osuna, Viceroy of Naples.

Ribera can be considered one of the most influential painters for the Neapolitan 17th century School. He had a large number of students and followers, including Aniello Falcone, Francesco Fracanzano, and Luca Giordano. Works by Ribera are on display in numerous major museum collections, including the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, the Kunsthistorische Museum in Vienna, the National Gallery in London, and the Wallfraf-Richartz Museum in Cologne.

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