Saint Thomas Jusepe de Ribera

Ribera’s early painting of Doubting Thomas was once part of a series of works depicting the apostles. Such ensambles of portrait-like paintings of Christ and his earliest disciples became highly popular from the sixteenth century onwards. Ribera was one of the most authentic masters at portraying the apostles transcending their own flesh-and-blood nature through the power of faith. In this picture, he placed the emphasis on naturalistic rendering and on capturing the apostle’s quarrelsome, sceptical character. Thomas at first could not believe that Christ had been resurrected. Eight days after his Crucifixion, Christ appeared to his disciples a second time, and Thomas assuaged his doubts that the man before him was indeed his master by touching his wounds. His faith was thus reinforced, and this is also the reason why his hand – the “instrument” of his persuasion – is held so meaningfully in front of him.