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Luca GiordanoItalian painter
Date of Birth: 18.10.1634
Country:  Italy |
Content:
Biography of Luca Giordano
Luca Giordano, also known as Luca Fa Presto, was an Italian painter and representative of the Neapolitan school.
Education and Training
Giordano studied under the guidance of Jusepe de Ribera in Naples for nine years. He further honed his skills in Rome under the tutelage of Pietro da Cortona, and completed his education by copying works by Raphael and Michelangelo.
Career and Travels
After his training, Giordano worked in Bologna, Paris, and Florence. In 1692, he was invited by King Charles II to Spain, where he painted in the Escorial, Madrid, and Toledo. His artistic talent, developed sense of beauty, and remarkable imagination were highly regarded. However, at times, he overused his abilities, considering speed and agility of execution as the main merits of a painting.
Artistic Style and Works
Giordano's prolific output includes numerous frescoes and paintings, and it is difficult to find a European art gallery without examples of his work. Some of his pieces are excellently conceived, drawn, and executed, while others are weaker in concept and careless in execution. His best works are considered to be "The Foundation of the Order of the Golden Fleece," a ceiling fresco in the Buen Retiro Palace in Madrid, "The Triumph of Judith," and other frescoes in the Church of San Martino in Naples. Notable paintings by Giordano can also be found in the Hermitage Museum, such as "The Descent from the Cross," "The Resting Bacchus," "The Judgment of Paris," "The Forge of Vulcan," "The Triumph of Galatea," "The Abduction of Europa," "Apollo and Daphne," "Saint Francis of Assisi," "The Nativity of St. John the Baptist," "The Battle of the Lapiths and Centaurs," and "The Expulsion of the Merchants from the Temple."
