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Ribera: Art of Violence
Dulwich Picture Gallery, London
JOSE (JUSEPE) RIBERA was born in Xativa near Valencia, a town famous in Roman times for its linen and where later the Arabs introduced paper-production technologies.
Ribera came from a well-to-do household, but he was attracted by Italy and the career in letters favoured by his family was shunned in favour of adventure. By 1612, aged 21, he was in Rome and lived in the house of a cardinal impressed by his dexterity at copying frescos. Locals started calling him Lo Spagnoletto (the Little Spaniard).
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