Jusepe de Ribera, called Spagnoletto

Jusepe de Ribera (1591, 1652), nicknamed 'Lo Spagnoletto' (the little Spaniard), was a Spanish Baroque painter and printmaker who spent most of his career in Naples, then under Spanish rule. Deeply influenced by Caravaggio's dramatic use of light and shadow, Ribera became renowned for his intense, unflinching depictions of martyrdom, mythology, and philosophy, often rendered with brutal realism. His works were highly sought after by Spanish and Italian patrons, including the Spanish viceroys of Naples, and he became one of the most influential artists of the 17th century.