The Ricotta Eaters is a c.1585 oil on canvas painting by Vincenzo Campi, showing four figures eating a round ricotta.[1] The artist himself entitled it Buffonaria, which links its four figures to Commedia dell'arte characters, and depicted himself as Pantalone, wearing red costume.[2] In 1875, the work was presented by Jacques Bernard to the Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon, where it is currently displayed.
| The Ricotta Eaters | |
|---|---|
| Italian: I Mangiatori di Ricotta, French: Les Mangeurs de Ricotta | |
 | |
| Artist | Vincenzo Campi |
| Year | c. 1585 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Subject | Genre painting |
| Dimensions | 72 cm × 89.5 cm (28 in × 35.2 in) |
| Location | Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon, Lyon |
Symbolism
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The ricotta placed on the tray appears[citation needed] to form an image of the skull, symbolizing memento mori, a reminder of death, in an atmosphere characterised by excess and abandon.[3]
References
edit- ^ Nguyen, Kim-Ly Thi (April 28, 2003). Vincenzo Campi's Ricotta Eaters (c.1585) : viewership and the early modern market (Thesis). University of British Columbia. doi:10.14288/1.0092193 – via open.library.ubc.ca.
- ^ Januszczak, Waldemar. "Art review: The Ricotta Eaters by Vincenzo Campi". www.thetimes.co.uk.
- ^ Freeman, Laura (February 22, 2018). The Reading Cure: How Books Restored My Appetite. Orion. ISBN 9781474604666 – via Google Books.