RIBERA Jusepe de
(Játiva/Valencia 1591- Naples 1652)
Spanish painter and engraver, son of the shoemaker Simone de Ribera and Margherita Cuco, he was most likely trained in Valencia under the guidance of the painter Francisco Ribalta.
Around 1610 he moved to Italy; first in Parma, where he studied the works of Correggio and executed paintings at the service of Prince Ranucchio Maria Farnese, then in Rome within the community of Spanish artists residing in via Margutta where he lived as well with his brother Juan. In this period his style adhered to the luminism of Caravaggio expressing a dramatic and gloomy painting filled with chiaroscuro effects.
In 1616 he married Caterina Azzolino, daughter of the painter Giovan Bernardino Azzolino, in whose shop Ribera was well received as soon as he arrived in Rome.
In the same year he moved to Naples at the invitation of the Viceroy and Duke of Osuna and soon set himself up in the artistic environment of the town, often rivaling with Massimo Stanzione, another great protagonist of the Neapolitan 17th century. For over twenty years Ribera has represented the most prominent figure among Neapolitan artists, on which he exerted considerable influence.
At the death of the Duke of Osuna, Jusepe de Ribera passed under the protection of Duke D’Alba for whom he also made engravings and drawings, becoming one of the most complete and prestigious artists in Europe.
He had also a meaningful meeting with Velazquez in Naples around 1630, which led to a change in his painting to a more peaceful and daily approach, characterized by the use of lighter colors.
The last part of his life is tragically marked by illness, which drastically reduced the number of works performed, now turned to dark and gloomy compositions.
During this period he had Luca Giordano as a pupil. His engraved work includes just under twenty etchings, some of which are absolute, very high quality.
Jusepe de Ribera died in Naples in 1652 and was buried in the church of Santa Maria del Parto in the quarter of Mergellina.
Because of the remaking of the church though, today there is no trace of its remains.