A Potentate Accompanied by His Halberd Bearer 1625 - 1630

This red chalk drawing by Spanish Baroque artist Jusepe de Ribera, created between 1625 and 1630, depicts a potentate and his halberd bearer. The figures are rendered in profile, with the potentate standing tall and his attendant holding a halberd. The gridded background suggests that this is a preparatory study for a larger composition, potentially a painting or a print. Ribera's mastery of light and shadow and his keen observation of human form are evident in this study.