Jacob with the Flock of Laban

Jacob with the Flock of Laban at the National Gallery, painted in 1638, depicts the patriarch tending his father-in-law's flocks during the years he worked to earn the hand of Rachel — a narrative from Genesis that Ribera treats with the same naturalistic intensity he brought to his philosophical and religious works. The Old Testament pastoral subject was unusual in Ribera's oeuvre, but his capacity for close observation of both human character and animal subjects made him well suited to the task. Ribera's Old Testament subjects bring the same unflinching naturalism to biblical narrative that characterizes his saints. Working in oil on canvas, he built form through strong tonal contrasts, applying thick impasto to highlighted areas while keeping shadows transparent — a technique learned from Caravaggio that gives the figures their characteristic sculptural weight and physical immediacy.

The shepherd figure and his flock are rendered in a landscape setting with Ribera's characteristic warmth. The naturalistic observation of both human and animal subjects demonstrates his versatile skill.