Ribot’s drawing of his name asserts his artistic presence through deliberate simplicity. The bold gesture of presenting his own signature as a work of art recalls Victor Hugo, who not only signed his name in large script but often turned it into a graphic motif in its own right (fig. 1). Similarly, on our sheet, by drawing his emblematic signature ‘T. Ribot.’ in imposing, bold letters, Ribot transforms his artistic identity into an iconic image. For an artist who came late to recognition, the act of inscribing his name in this way signals a conscious affirmation of identity and position. It is at once a personal declaration and an artistic statement that aligns with Ribot’s broader pursuit of authenticity in both painting and drawing.
In the 20th century, Mr Aizpiri gathered one of the most important collections of drawings by Ribot. Aizpiri’s studies of hands, portraits, genre scenes, seascapes, and vanitas were exhibited at the Hôtel de Ville of Colombes in May 1934 by the Société “Les Amis des Arts de Colombes”, city in which the artist spent the last part of his life.