Artwork
Saint James the Greater
Saint James the Greater is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Jusepe de Ribera. It dates from 1630 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Classified as a work of religious art, the image focuses entirely on the apostle, adhering to the devotional traditions of the Spanish Golden Age.
Jusepe de Ribera's 1630 oil painting depicts Saint James the Greater, also known as St. James the Elder, as its primary subject. Classified as a work of religious art, the image focuses entirely on the apostle, adhering to the devotional traditions of the Spanish Golden Age. The piece serves as a representation of the saint within the context of Catholic iconography, though specific attributes or symbolic actions are not detailed in the available records beyond his identification as the main figure.
Technique & Style
Saint James the Greater by Jusepe de Ribera is executed in oil paint on canvas, a medium characteristic of his mature religious output. The unlined canvas measures 78 cm in height by 64 cm in width, a relatively modest, vertically oriented format suited to a single half-length devotional figure. Ribera's handling reflects the tenebrist style associated with his practice, deploying strongly modeled chiaroscuro and a restrained, earthy palette to dramatize the saint.
The work is classified as a painting within the religious genre and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
History & Provenance
Saint James the Greater was painted by Jusepe de Ribera in 1630 as an oil on canvas work. The painting entered the Spanish royal collection during the reign of Ferdinand VII and subsequently became part of the holdings of the Museo del Prado in Madrid, where it remains today. While the specific circumstances of its commission are not recorded in the available sources, its creation date and subsequent ownership trajectory are documented.
The painting Saint James the Greater by Jusepe de Ribera (1630) is held in the Museo del Prado in Madrid. It bears the Prado inventory number P001082 (listed as El Prado P001082 in the museum’s records). The oil-on-canvas measures 78 cm in height and 64 cm in width.
The work entered the Prado collection through the royal holdings of Ferdinand VII of Spain. No exhibition history is detailed in the supplied sources.
Overview
Saint James the Greater is a 1630 oil painting by Jusepe de Ribera, a prominent Spanish Baroque artist based in Naples. The work is part of the early Italian Baroque period and is now housed in the Museo del Prado.
Context
As an early 17th-century work from the Italian Baroque period, Saint James the Greater reflects the religious themes and artistic innovations of its time, including the intense emotional and visual contrasts achieved through chiaroscuro.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Jusepe de Ribera (Valencian:; baptised 17 February 1591 – 3 November 1652) was a Spanish painter and printmaker.
