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Man Tied to a Tree, and a Figure Resting

Jusepe de RiberaCirca 1630-1635

The Courtauld Institute of Art

The Courtauld Institute of Art
London, United Kingdom

The bound male figure is a recurring theme in Ribera’s art. This extraordinarily subtle study may represent the suffering and steadfastness of an unidentified elderly saint. Extending his disproportionately long arm, he seems to address someone beyond the scene.

The relationship between the saint and the hunched man at the bottom of the tree remains ambiguous but they seem to be conceived as contrasting figures: whilst the saint ultimately transcends his physical ordeal the man appears to be defecating on a pot.

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