A stronger man was Francisco de
Ribalta (1550?-1628), who was for a time in Italy under the Caracci,
and learned from them free draughtsmanship and elaborate composition.
He was also fond of Sebastiano del Piombo, and in his best works (at
Valencia) reflected him. Ribalta gave an early training to Ribera
(1588-1656), who was the most important man of this school. In reality
Ribera was more Italian than Valencian, for he spent the greater part
of his life in Italy, where he was called Lo Spagnoletto, and was
greatly influenced by Caravaggio. He was a Spaniard in the horrible
subjects that he chose, but in coarse strength of line, heaviness of
shadows, harsh handling of the brush, he was a true Neapolitan
Darkling. A pronounced mannerist he was no less a man of strength, and
even in his shadow-saturated colors a painter with the color instinct.
In Italy his influence in the time of the Decadence was wide-spread,
and in Spain his Italian pupil, Giordano, introduced his methods for
late imitation.
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