(Játiva 1591–1652 Naples)
Matthew the Apostle(?), three-quarter-length,
oil on canvas, 122 x 94 cm, unframed

Provenance:
Aristocratic collection, Germany;
where acquired by the father of the present owner

A similar version of the present composition in half-length is conserved in the Biblioteca Museu Víctor Balaguer, Vilanova i la Geltrú (on loan from the Museo del Prado, Madrid, see N. Spinosa, Ribera. La obra completa, Madrid 2008, p. 379, cat. no. A132).Another version in half-length was offered at Sotheby’s, London on 7 May 2020 (lot 20, ‘Saint Philip’) and a version in bust-length was sold at Christie’s on 30 October 2002 (lot 126, ‘Saint Philip’), both attributed to the master’s studio.

Jusepe de Ribera painted figures of saints, apostles or philosophers as in the present painting on several occasions. He frequently employed a comparable scheme, with mystical figures emerging from a dark background, accompanied by a limited set of interchangeable attributes. This subject matter was popular in the early seventeenth century, especially in Rome and Naples, and Ribera painted this type of composition from the beginning of his career. As a young Spaniard, newly arrived in Rome in 1612, Ribera gained recognition among the followers of Caravaggio. He adopted a style characterised by bold chiaroscuro, where strong contrasts between shadows and highlights imbue the scene with a dramatic aura.

The size and the format indicate that the present painting might have been part of a series of Apostles. The identity of the figure represented here is still not clear, but he is thought to be Matthew the Apostle, who is often depicted with a hatchet. The Saint is rendered with great intensity and extreme realism. His individuality testifies the use of models from life. Anatomical details are depicted with vibrant brush strokes, together with the rendering of intense light, creating an image of reality and extreme spirituality.