Neptune and Amphitrite

This 1691 Neptune and Amphitrite at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum depicts the marriage of the sea god and the Nereid who became queen of the ocean. The mythological sea subject allowed Ricci to combine his talent for figure painting with the marine imagery of waves, sea creatures, and tritons that was a recognized sub-genre of Baroque decorative painting. The Thyssen-Bornemisza's comprehensive European painting collection, ranging from medieval to twentieth-century works, preserves this early Ricci in a context that allows his Venetian Baroque style to be seen against the broader European tradition.

The marine setting is rendered with brilliant blues and greens, the sea deities' luminous flesh contrasting with the darker waters in a composition that showcases Ricci's mastery of the Venetian coloristic tradition.