José Ripoll (1934) - Bodegones de libros

Title: Still Lifes with Books — Reading and Writing (Pair)
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School: Spanish (20th century)
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Artist: José Ripoll (Jerez de la Frontera, 1934)
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Style: Academic realism, classical still life, and figurative naturalism
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Technique: Oil on panel
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Condition: Apparently in good overall condition, with slight signs of aging and use consistent with the age of the works and their frames.
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Artistic circle and influences:
José Ripoll, known artistically as J. Ripoll, is a Spanish painter born in Jerez de la Frontera in 1934. He studied Fine Arts in Cádiz and later settled in Seville, developing an artistic career closely associated with realism and the depiction of still lifes.
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Throughout his career, he has focused primarily on the still-life genre, distinguished by the precision of his drawing, the richness of his color palette, and a particular sensitivity to the depiction of textures, materials, and lighting effects.
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Highlights of his career include the 1957 First Provincial Prize, Ciudad de Cádiz; the 1972 San Fernando National Prize; and the 1973 Jerez Savings Bank Prize. His works have featured in private and institutional collections in Spain, Europe, and the Americas.
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His pictorial language is connected to the Spanish and European still-life tradition, particularly academic realism and classically inspired still life. The meticulous rendering of objects, the use of chiaroscuro, and the carefully arranged compositions show affinities with the tradition of Spanish Golden Age still lifes and 17th- and 18th-century Dutch painting, reinterpreted through a contemporary figurative sensibility.
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This lot comprises an elegant pair of small oil paintings on panel by José Ripoll, depicting two complementary compositions devoted to books, reading, and writing.
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The first composition, on the left, depicts a group of antique books arranged on an ochre-toned table. At the center is an open volume, its pages bearing delicate lines of handwritten text. Around it are several closed, stacked books with green, reddish, and brown bindings.
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In the foreground rests a small pair of metal-framed reading glasses, introducing a human element into the scene and reinforcing its intellectual, contemplative character.
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The second composition, on the right, also shows a group of antique books, with an open volume bearing handwritten pages as its focal point. Beneath it are several neatly stacked books, accompanied by loose sheets and small documents.
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At the far right is an elegant white quill placed in a small cylindrical holder, a direct reference to writing that symbolically complements the glasses depicted in the first painting.
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Both works feature balanced compositions, created through the careful arrangement of objects on illuminated surfaces. The dark backgrounds, in shades of brown and red, highlight the brightness of the pages and the reflections on the book bindings.
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The painting is notable for its precise depiction of the sheets of paper, book covers, tiny handwritten characters, and the varied textures of the objects.
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The color palette combines ochres, earth tones, deep browns, dark greens, and ivory shades, creating a warm atmosphere and great visual harmony.
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Symbolically, the two compositions establish a dialogue between reading and writing, represented respectively by the glasses and the quill. These elements evoke knowledge, memory, culture, and the transmission of ideas.
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Together, the works make an appealing example of José Ripoll’s figurative realism, distinguished by technical meticulousness, carefully controlled lighting, and the elegance of these small still lifes.
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Both paintings are signed J. Ripoll in the lower-right corner.
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The two works are presented in matching individual frames made of wood, with wide mouldings and classical raised ornamentation. They combine aged gold and silver finishes with broad white inner profiles and a fine gold border outlining each composition. Their design lends elegance and enhances the traditional character of the still lifes, forming a set with great aesthetic coherence.
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Notes:
The lot comprises two original oil paintings on panel by José Ripoll, offered together as a pair in a single auction.
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Both works are of the same technique and format and have matching frames, forming a set devoted to reading, writing, and knowledge.
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The work may be damaged during shipping despite being properly packaged. In such cases, we will need photographs of the damage in order to process compensation. Customer satisfaction is always our priority.
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Dimensions: 17 × 13 cm (each work)
Dimensions with frame: 32.5 × 28.5 cm (each piece)