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.
Symbolism
Black pencil on brown paper, 20.5 x 19.2 cm. Campi's pencil study for the painting; it is currently in Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden's collection.
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]
