Saint Paul

Ribera was born near Valencia, Spain, but moved to Italy at a young age and spent the rest of his life there, becoming the most celebrated and influential painter in Naples. This small bust of Saint Paul is evidence of how Ribera adopted Caravaggio’s strong contrasts of light and shadow and his naturalistic use of real-life models (with gritty details such as dirty fingernails). Unusual for Ribera, this work is painted on panel, which displays his masterful handling of thick layers of paint in the lines on Saint Paul’s forehead.