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443 - STAR LOT - EUCLID - JOSEPH OF RIBERA OR HIS WORKSHOP - 17TH-…
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Estimate €10,000 - €18,000
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Description
STAR LOT - EUCLID - JOSEPH OF RIBERA OR HIS WORKSHOP - 17TH-CENTURY NEAPOLITAN SCHOOL Oil on canvas. Dimensions 110 x 91 cm. An early half-length portrait of the celebrated mathematician and geometer Euclid, identified by an inscription in the top left-hand corner and accompanied by a large unfurled scroll featuring geometric diagrams alluding to his intellectual pursuits. The figure is seated in a contemplative pose, gazing directly at the viewer whilst holding the instruments of his knowledge, projecting an image of scientific authority and classical wisdom. The composition is set against a neutral, dark background that draws all attention to the figure’s monumental presence, rendered with intense chiaroscuro that emphasises the volume of the face, hands and the ample folds of the garment. The execution reveals remarkable technical skill in the rendering of textures, flesh tones and lighting effects, with a restrained palette dominated by earth tones, blacks and whites that enhances the intellectual character of the scene. The work belongs to the naturalist tradition of the 17th-century Neapolitan school, linked to the style derived from Caravaggio and disseminated by numerous masters active in Naples, amongst whom the Spaniard José de Ribera stood out, where depictions of philosophers, scholars and mathematicians achieved particular prominence. The balance between realism, psychological intensity and expressive power makes this painting a prime example of Italian Baroque painting of a humanist nature.
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About the sale GRAND SUMMER AUCTION OF HAUTE ÉPOQUE AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
Auction location
Auction time 06/29/2026 at 4:00 AM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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