Catalogue raisónne of the Ribera’s drawings published together with the exhibition Ribera. Master of Drawing, held at the Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid, between November 22nd 2016 and February 19th 2017.
This book is the first complete catalogue raisonné of the drawings of Jusepe de Ribera (Játiva, Valencia, 1591 – Naples, 1652). A follower of Caravaggio, he trained in Rome and subsequently became a painter to the viceregal court in Naples. Ribera’s drawing played a central role in his art. This catalogue raisonné reveals his impressive technical skills, equally evident in his use of pen and ink, red chalk or brush and wash, while emphasising the remarkable range of the subjects he depicted.
The main text by Gabriele Finaldi explores specific themes within Ribera’s activity as a draughtsman, from his sources, signatures and the most prominent collectors of his drawings to his preparatory studies and the variety of his subject matter. This text is followed by entries on the 157 surviving drawings considered autograph, 5 sheets attributed to Ribera and 31 rejected attributions by the artist now in museums, institutions and private collections around the world.
In conjunction with the publication of this catalogue raisonné, the Museo del Prado in Madrid and the Meadows Museum, SMU, in Dallas have co-organised two monographic exhibitions: Ribera: Master of Drawing and Between Heaven and Hell: The Drawings of Jusepe de Ribera. They include already-known drawings by the artist and other recently attributed sheets, in addition to paintings and prints, with the aim of illustrating the importance of drawing within Ribera’s oeuvre and its independent status.
This catalogue raisonné has been edited by Gabriele Finaldi, Director of the National Gallery in London. Together with him, the book has been written by Elena Cenalmor, Curatorial Assistant to the Deputy Director for Conservation and Research at the Museo del Prado, and Edward Payne, Senior Curator of Spanish Art at Auckland Castle (County Durham).
