The painting of Tityos belongs to a series of canvases depicting the torment suffered by the giants of Greek mythology, whom Zeus punished for various crimes. It was painted by José de Ribera in 1634, with 227 centimeters high and 301 centimeters wide. Tityos symbolizes the warning of eternal punishment for those who challenge the authority of power, whether of gods or kings. It is not known exactly who commissioned this work to Ribera, and the first documentary record that we have is its purchase in 1634 from the Marquess of Charela by Jerónimo de Villanueva for the decoration of the Palace of Buen Retiro. The myth portrayed in the painting tells the story of the giant Tityos, son of Elara and Zeus, who tried to rape Leto, mother of Apollo and Artemis. Then, in defense of their mother, (they) killed the giant with their arrows. As the giants were immortal, Zeus threw Tityos into Tartarus, where he was condemned to have his liver eaten by a vulture for all eternity. The vulture ate it by day and the giant's liver grew back at night. In the painting, Tityos lies on his back, waving his arms and head back, with a gesture of eternal suffering on his face as the vulture pulls out the liver through a hole in his side. Ribera looked at the work Tantalus painted by Tiziano to take inspiration for his Tityos. He placed the body of the giant diagonally with his feet sinking into the darkness, while his body and face, illuminated, are projected forward, invading with violence the space of the spectator. This work belongs to the Spanish Baroque style, where José de Ribera uses chiaroscuro, exhibiting strong light and deep shadows to make the scene more dramatic. The main technique used in the painting is oil on canvas. This artistic style was known for the presence of tenebrism, the importance of color and the use of different spatial solutions, among other characteristics. Some relevant authors were Diego de Silva Velázquez, who painted Las Meninas, and Francisco de Zurbarán, who painted La Casa de Nazareth. Going back to the painter, Ribera was born in Xàtiva, Valencia in 1591, and died in 1652 in Naples, Italy, where he lived most of his life. That's where he became more famous. He often painted saints, philosophers and people from everyday life. Some of his most famous paintings are: The Martyrdom of St. Philip, The Bearded Woman and Jacob's Dream. Right now, we can see many of his paintings here in the Prado Museum. Ribera was important because he helped spread Caravaggio's style and influenced many artists in both Italy and Spain. His art is remembered for its strong emotion, powerful light and realism."