Attributed to Jusepe de Ribera

The attribution of this drawing to Ribera is far from certain and remains an open question. Jak Katalan suggested an attribution to Simone Cantarini, who has also been proposed as the artist responsible for a seemingly related drawing in the Louvre (inv. 9659, currently attributed to Francesco Allegrini). The inscription on the verso of the Morgan drawing, however, refers to Filippo Napoletano (also known as Teodoro Filippo di Liagno, ca. 1587-1629), and he was to artist to whom the Louvre drawing was also formerly attributed, suggesting that the traditional attributions of both perhaps bear reconsideration. Other drawings by Filippo Napoletano have inscriptions and numbering akin to that on the Morgan sheet.