Le Miracle de saint Donat
Jusepe de Ribera·1652
Historical Context
The Miracle of Saint Donatus by Ribera, from the collection Lavalard, depicts an episode from the life of the fourth-century bishop of Arezzo who was credited with miraculous powers. The rare subject reflects the continuing demand for hagiographic painting in the Counter-Reformation Catholic world. Ribera painted his saints with unflinching naturalism rooted in his early study of Caravaggio's Rome before settling in Naples in 1616. Working under Spanish viceregal patronage, he produced devoti...
Technical Analysis
The miraculous scene is rendered with Ribera's characteristically dramatic lighting. The witnesses's varied reactions — from awe to skepticism — are individually characterized, each face a portrait-like study in human expression.
