higher order his works are positively offensive.
Some of his sacred pictures were removed from the altars for which they
were painted on account of their coarseness. His most celebrated work is
the "Entombment of Christ," at the Vatican; in the Gallery of the Capitol
in Rome there is a "Fortune Teller," which is also a fine work.

Next to Caravaggio came GIUSEPPE RIBERA, called IL SPAGNOLETTO
(1588-1656). He was a native of Valencia, and when very young made his way
to Rome, so that, although his education as an artist was wholly Italian,
his familiar name arose from his Spanish origin. While living in
miserable poverty in Rome, and industriously copying such frescoes as he
could gain access to, he attracted the attention of a cardinal, who took
him to his home, and made him comfortable. But the young painter soon ran
away, and returned to his street life. The cardinal sought him out, and
called him an "ungrateful little Spaniard;" but Ribera excused his conduct
by saying that as soon as he was made comfortable and was well fed he lost
all ambition to work, adding that it would require the spur of poverty to
make him a good painter. The cardinal respected his courage, and the story
being repeated to other artists, much interest was attracted to him.

Later he went to Naples, and joined the cabal there which had agreed to
persecute the strange artists who should come to work in that city. If
Ribera did not actually commit many of the crimes which were done there,
he was responsible for them through his influence. His works are
frequently so brutal in their subjects and treatment that one feels that
he who painted them must have lost all the kindliness of his nature.

He married the daughter of a rich picture dealer, and became very rich
himself. In 1630 he was made a member of the Academy of St. Luke, at Rome,
and in 1648 Pope Innocent X. sent him the cross of the Order of Christ.
Few Italian artists were better known in their own country, and many of
his pictures were sent to Spain. His greatest excellence was in his
knowledge of anatomy, and he painted subjects that enabled him to show
this. Among his famous works are a "Descent from the Cross;" "The Flaying
of St. Bartholomew;" "Ixion on the Wheel;" and "Cato of Utica." His works
are in all the famous galleries of the world.

Ribera's greatest pupil was SALVATOR ROSA (1615-1673), the landscape
painter, who was a very gifted man, being a poet and musician as well as