José Ripoll (1934) - La lectura y el saber

Title: Desk Still Lifes — Reading and Knowledge (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: Decorative academic realism and classical still life
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Technique: Oil on board
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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 academic realism and the depiction of still lifes.
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His artistic output is characterized by a particular dedication to the still-life genre, distinguished by precise drawing, a rich color palette, and his ability to depict the textures, volumes, and luminous reflections of everyday objects.
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Among the awards he received during his career are the 1957 First Provincial Prize Ciudad de Cádiz, the 1972 San Fernando National Prize, and the 1973 Caja de Ahorros de Jerez Prize. His works are represented in private and public 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 lifes. The descriptive precision, chiaroscuro treatment, and carefully considered arrangement of the objects show affinities with Spanish still lifes of the Golden Age and with 17th- and 18th-century Dutch painting.
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This pair of paintings reflects these influences through the depiction of objects associated with reading, writing, and knowledge, reinterpreted with a figurative sensibility characteristic of the 20th century.
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The lot comprises two small original oil paintings on board by José Ripoll, depicting elegant desk arrangements with antique books, handwritten documents, and objects related to intellectual pursuits.
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The first composition, on the left, depicts a group of antique books arranged on an ochre-toned surface. At the center is an open volume, its pages bearing delicate lines of handwritten text. Beneath it are several carefully stacked books with reddish, greenish, and brown bindings.
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In the background, another closed book can be seen, accompanied by a rolled parchment protruding from a small cylindrical blue-and-white ceramic container. A partially visible handwritten sheet appears beneath the main volume, adding depth and a narrative quality to the composition.
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The second composition, on the right, features another group of antique books, including an open volume with a small illustration on one page and handwritten text on the facing page.
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Several books are stacked on the left, with brown, reddish, and golden covers and spines. In the foreground is a small handwritten document, while at the far right a white candle stands on a light-colored candlestick, an object traditionally associated with study and reading.
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Both compositions stand out for the meticulous way the artist depicts the pages of the books, handwritten characters, bindings, and subtle variations in the objects’ textures.
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The dark backgrounds, rendered in brown and reddish tones, provide depth and highlight the illuminated elements in the scenes. The light is focused mainly on the open books, creating delicate contrasts between the pale surfaces of the paper and the cast shadows.
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The color palette is characterized by a harmony of ochres, earth tones, deep browns, dark greens, and ivory shades, enriched with small touches of color in the bindings and decorative elements.
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Symbolically, the two works evoke the world of knowledge, culture, and the transmission of ideas. The open books, handwritten documents, parchment, and candle are elements traditionally associated with study, memory, and intellectual activity.
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Together, these works make an attractive example of José Ripoll’s decorative academic realism, distinguished by technical precision, carefully considered lighting, and the elegance of his small still lifes.
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Both paintings are signed J. Ripoll in their respective lower corners.
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The two works are presented in matching, elegant individual frames made of wood, with wide moldings and classical raised ornamentation. They combine aged gold and silver finishes with broad white inner profiles and fine gold edging that frames the compositions. Their ornamental design enhances the traditional character of the still lifes and lends the set notable aesthetic harmony.
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Notes:
The lot comprises two oil paintings on board by José Ripoll, offered together as a pair in a single auction.
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Both works have identical formats, technique, and framing, forming a decorative set devoted to books, reading, and knowledge.
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Dimensions: 13 × 17 cm (each work)
Dimensions with frame: 28.5 × 32.5 cm (each unit)