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 sheep. Ribera treats this pastoral Old Testament subject with the same naturalistic intensity he brought to his philosophical and religious works. 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 highlig...

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.