The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists (402 page)
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Authors: Ian Chilvers
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Reynolds-Stephens , Sir William
.
.
Riace bronzes
.
.
Ribalta , Francisco
(1565–1628).
Spanish painter. He was probably trained at the
Escorial
and during most of the 1580s and 1590s he worked in Madrid. His earlier paintings are
Mannerist
in character, notably his first known work,
The Nailing to the Cross
(Hermitage, St Petersburg, 1582). By 1599 he was settled in Valencia and there his style became much more sombre and naturalistic. According to
Palomino
,
Ribalta
had studied in Italy and he is known to have made a copy of
Caravaggio's
Martyrdom of St Peter
, but his late
tenebrist
style may have been influenced more by
Ribera
than by direct knowledge of painting in Rome. In their turn, Ribalta's dramatically lit and powerfully austere mature works (
Christ Embracing St Bernard
, Prado, Madrid) had considerable influence on Spanish painting, notably on
Zurbarán
. His son
Juan
(1596/7–1628) was also an able painter in the Caravaggesque manner, but died young.
Spanish painter. He was probably trained at the
Escorial
and during most of the 1580s and 1590s he worked in Madrid. His earlier paintings are
Mannerist
in character, notably his first known work,
The Nailing to the Cross
(Hermitage, St Petersburg, 1582). By 1599 he was settled in Valencia and there his style became much more sombre and naturalistic. According to
Palomino
,
Ribalta
had studied in Italy and he is known to have made a copy of
Caravaggio's
Martyrdom of St Peter
, but his late
tenebrist
style may have been influenced more by
Ribera
than by direct knowledge of painting in Rome. In their turn, Ribalta's dramatically lit and powerfully austere mature works (
Christ Embracing St Bernard
, Prado, Madrid) had considerable influence on Spanish painting, notably on
Zurbarán
. His son
Juan
(1596/7–1628) was also an able painter in the Caravaggesque manner, but died young.
Ribera , José
(or Jusepe) de
(or Jusepe) de
(1591–1652)
. Spanish painter, etcher, and draughtsman, active for all his known career in Italy, where he was called ‘Lo Spagnoletto’ (the Little Spaniard). Little is known of his life before he settled in Naples (at the time a Spanish possession) in 1616. Naples was then one of the main centres of the Caravaggesque style, and Ribera is often described as one of
Caravaggio's
followers. However, although his early work is markedly
tenebrist
, it is much more individual than that of most Caravaggesque artists, particularly in his vigorous and scratchy handling of paint. Similarly, his penchant for the typically Caravaggesque theme of bloody martyrdom has been overplayed, enshrined as it is in Byron's lines: ‘Spagnoletto tainted/His brush with all the blood of all the sainted’ (
Don Juan
, xiii. 71). He undoubtedly painted some powerful pictures of this type, notably the celebrated
Martyrdom of St Bartholomew
(Prado, Madrid,
c.
1630), but he was equally capable of great tenderness, as in
The Adoration of the Shepherds
(Louvre, Paris, 1650), and his work is remarkable for his feeling for individual humanity. Indeed, he laid the foundation of that respect for the dignity of the individual which was so important a feature of Spanish art from
Velázquez
to
Goya
. This feature of his work is evident also in the secular subjects, such as
The Clubfooted Boy
(Louvre, 1642). He was the first to breach the traditional Spanish dislike for mythological themes (
Apollo and Marsyas
, Musées Royaux, Brussels, 1637), and he broadened the
Baroque
repertory by his series of philosophers depicted as beggars or vagabonds (
Archimedes
, Prado, 1630). Ribera gradually moved away from his early tenebrist style, and his late works are often rich in colour and soft in modelling. He was the leading painter in Naples in his period (Velázquez visited him during his second visit to Italy and probably during his first) and his work was influential in Spain (where much of it was exported) as well as in Italy. His reputation has remained high, and until the Napoleonic Wars he and
Murillo
were virtually the only Spanish painters who were widely known outside their native country.
. Spanish painter, etcher, and draughtsman, active for all his known career in Italy, where he was called ‘Lo Spagnoletto’ (the Little Spaniard). Little is known of his life before he settled in Naples (at the time a Spanish possession) in 1616. Naples was then one of the main centres of the Caravaggesque style, and Ribera is often described as one of
Caravaggio's
followers. However, although his early work is markedly
tenebrist
, it is much more individual than that of most Caravaggesque artists, particularly in his vigorous and scratchy handling of paint. Similarly, his penchant for the typically Caravaggesque theme of bloody martyrdom has been overplayed, enshrined as it is in Byron's lines: ‘Spagnoletto tainted/His brush with all the blood of all the sainted’ (
Don Juan
, xiii. 71). He undoubtedly painted some powerful pictures of this type, notably the celebrated
Martyrdom of St Bartholomew
(Prado, Madrid,
c.
1630), but he was equally capable of great tenderness, as in
The Adoration of the Shepherds
(Louvre, Paris, 1650), and his work is remarkable for his feeling for individual humanity. Indeed, he laid the foundation of that respect for the dignity of the individual which was so important a feature of Spanish art from
Velázquez
to
Goya
. This feature of his work is evident also in the secular subjects, such as
The Clubfooted Boy
(Louvre, 1642). He was the first to breach the traditional Spanish dislike for mythological themes (
Apollo and Marsyas
, Musées Royaux, Brussels, 1637), and he broadened the
Baroque
repertory by his series of philosophers depicted as beggars or vagabonds (
Archimedes
, Prado, 1630). Ribera gradually moved away from his early tenebrist style, and his late works are often rich in colour and soft in modelling. He was the leading painter in Naples in his period (Velázquez visited him during his second visit to Italy and probably during his first) and his work was influential in Spain (where much of it was exported) as well as in Italy. His reputation has remained high, and until the Napoleonic Wars he and
Murillo
were virtually the only Spanish painters who were widely known outside their native country.
Ricci , Sebastiano
(1659–1730).
Italian decorative painter. He was born at Belluno and is considered a member of the Venetian school, but before he settled in Venice in 1717 he led a peripatetic life, working in numerous Italian cities and also in England, Flanders, France, and Germany. His unsettled existence is a reflection not only of the demand for his talents but also of his penchant for illicit love affairs, which often led to his having to move in haste, and once almost resulted in his execution. In view of this it is not surprising that his work is uneven and sometimes shows signs of carelessness, but he had a gift for vivid, fresh colouring, and his itinerant career was important in spreading knowledge of Italian decorative painting. Little of the decorative work he did in England survives except the
Resurrection
in the apse of the Chelsea Hospital Chapel and some large but damaged canvases on the staircase at Burlington House (now the Royal Academy). He is, however, extremely well represented in the Royal Collection.
Marco Ricci
(1676–1729), Sebastiano's nephew, was also born in Belluno and travelled extensively. He made two visits to England, and worked there in partnership with his uncle, the collaboration continuing after they returned to Venice in 1717. Examples of their joint works are in the Royal Collection. He was primarily a landscape painter, working in a freely handled style that owed something to
Magnasco
.
Italian decorative painter. He was born at Belluno and is considered a member of the Venetian school, but before he settled in Venice in 1717 he led a peripatetic life, working in numerous Italian cities and also in England, Flanders, France, and Germany. His unsettled existence is a reflection not only of the demand for his talents but also of his penchant for illicit love affairs, which often led to his having to move in haste, and once almost resulted in his execution. In view of this it is not surprising that his work is uneven and sometimes shows signs of carelessness, but he had a gift for vivid, fresh colouring, and his itinerant career was important in spreading knowledge of Italian decorative painting. Little of the decorative work he did in England survives except the
Resurrection
in the apse of the Chelsea Hospital Chapel and some large but damaged canvases on the staircase at Burlington House (now the Royal Academy). He is, however, extremely well represented in the Royal Collection.
Marco Ricci
(1676–1729), Sebastiano's nephew, was also born in Belluno and travelled extensively. He made two visits to England, and worked there in partnership with his uncle, the collaboration continuing after they returned to Venice in 1717. Examples of their joint works are in the Royal Collection. He was primarily a landscape painter, working in a freely handled style that owed something to
Magnasco
.
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