Figurstudie af mandlig model 1591 - 1652

Giuseppe Ribera created this study of a male model using pen and brush on paper. Ribera lived and worked in Italy during a period of significant social change, when the power of the church came under scrutiny and the impact of scientific reasoning grew. Here, the subject's muscular form dominates the composition. There's a sense of classical ideals, yet this study feels very different from the idealized figures of the Renaissance. Ribera's male figures possess a rough, unvarnished quality, almost challenging traditional notions of beauty and masculinity. We can read this through his identity as someone working outside the mainstream centers of artistic production. Ribera, a Spaniard working in Italy, often depicted scenes of everyday life, religious subjects, and mythological narratives that reflect the complex social and political landscape of his time. This drawing offers an intimate look into Ribera's artistic process and provides a unique perspective on gender, identity, and representation.