Most of what is known of Ricciardelli's life is from De Dominici's 1742 edition of artist's lives. He was first taught be his father and later apprenticed in Rome to Jan Frans van Bloemen, L'Orizzonte. In his early career he executed decorations for the villas of King Carlos of Naples and also produced small coastal scenes as grand Tour momentoes. He spent several years in England and Ireland and by 1758 was under the patronage of Lord Allen, for whom he executed a series of Irish views which were later engraved