JUSEPE DE Ribera, circa 1591 1652. Lameleg, 1642. Oil on canvas. 164X92.
Paintings

Painting Lameleg by JUSEPE DE Ribera

A representative of the realistic school of painting, the Spanish artist Jusepe de Ribera painted religious paintings and portraits of people from the common people. One of these portraits was the painting “Lipfoot”, depicting a lame little beggar, whose name history has not preserved.

JUSEPE DE Ribera, circa 1591 1652. Lameleg, 1642. Oil on canvas. 164X92.
JUSEPE DE Ribera, circa 1591 1652. Lameleg, 1642. Oil on canvas. 164X92.

Ribera chooses a low horizon line and a low vantage point where the viewer is looking up at the model. Such a composition is traditionally used in ceremonial portraits of representatives of the nobility, as it makes the figure monumental for the sake of the eminent customer, subordinating the entire space of the picture to it.

This approach could play a cruel joke on the unfortunate lame, flaunting his ugliness, but a genuine sincere smile and a boy’s love for life read in it work wonders. The image of a little tramp is full of charm and childish immediacy. I would like to believe that natural kindness and fortitude, strengthened by years of suffering and deprivation, will not allow him to sink to the bottom of society in the future and physical imperfection will not cause moral ugliness. The painting was transferred to the Louvre in 1869.