The Five Senses (Ribera)

The Five Senses (Ribera) refers to a series of oil paintings created by Spanish Baroque painter Jusepe de Ribera (1591-1652). This series, executed primarily in the 1610s, exemplifies Ribera's early style, characterized by strong chiaroscuro (contrast between light and dark), realism, and influence from Caravaggio.

Each painting in the series depicts a single, often elderly or impoverished, figure representing one of the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. The figures are typically depicted in a close-up, bust-length format, engaging directly with an object or action that symbolizes the sense they represent. For example, the figure representing "Hearing" might be an old woman listening to music, while "Taste" might depict a man tasting food.

The paintings are notable for their unidealized depictions of the human form, showcasing the effects of age and poverty. This naturalism contributes to the overall intensity and impact of the series. Different museums and collections hold versions and possible representations of the individual senses, contributing to some scholarly debate about a definitive "complete" series and their exact provenance.