Spanish, possibly Seville; or Italian, possibly Naples
Job
INV-8751
Spanish, possibly Seville; or Italian, possibly Naplesc. 1618–c. 1630
17th CenturyBaroqueoil on canvasspanish
Date
c. 1618–c. 1630
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
120.3 × 95 cm (47 3/8 × 37 3/8 in.); Framed: 139.7 × 114.3 × 8.3 cm (55 × 45 × 3 1/4 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Chauncey McCormick
The Latin inscription emerging from the old man’s mouth—NOLI ME CONDEMNARE (“do not condemn me”)—comes from the biblical story of Job, whose piety withstood the test of a series of dire misfortunes. With his hunched posture and torn clothing, he appears resigned to his hardships. The painting’s realism and strong contrasts of light and dark characterize the work of the international followers of Italian painter Caravaggio. Although the artist remains unknown, the painting was probably made in Seville, Spain, in the artistic orbit of artists like Francisco de Zurbarán and Diego Velázquez, or by an artist in Naples, which was then part of the Spanish Empire.
Also notable
Works in the same vein
