Luca Giordano

Background

Luca Giordano was born on October 18, 1634, in Naples, Italy. He was a son of Antonio Giordano, who was also a painter. It was Antonio, who imparted to Luca the first rudiments of drawing.

Education

At the age of eight, Luca painted a cherub into one of his father's pictures, a feat, which was at once noised abroad, and induced the viceroy of Naples to recommend the child to Jusepe de Ribera, with whom Giordano studied in around 1650.

At the age of twenty, Luca traveled to Rome, Parma and Venice, copying and imitating, with great speed and virtuosity, many and various styles. The most decisive influence on him at that time was the High Baroque art of Pietro da Cortona, who was Luca's mentor in Rome.

Career

Between 1682-1683, Luca lived in Florence, where he created different fresco series, including one in the dome of Corsini Chapel of the Chiesa del Carmine. Also, it was at that time, that the painter decorated a ceiling in the Palazzo Medici Riccardi.

In 1692, Giordano went to Madrid at the invitation of Charles II, where he remained ten years and produced numerous works in oil and in fresco, achieving fame and wealth. He also painted many pictures for the court, private patrons and churches. As Luca became popular at the Spanish court, the king granted him the title of a "caballero".

In 1702, after the death of his patron Charles II, Luca accompanied Philip V to Naples, where he lived until his last day. His last great work in Naples was the ceiling of the Cappella del Tesoro in San Martino, begun on his return in 1702 and completed in April 1704.

Achievements

• Luca Giordano was the most celebrated and prolific Neapolitan painter of the late 17th century. He was particularly noted for his lively and showy use of colour. Giordano's greatest works include "Christ Expelling the Traders from the Temple" (1684), "The Triumph of Judith" (1704) and others.
  
  Today, the painter's works are kept in the collections of different museums, art institutions and galleries, including the Art Institute of Chicago, State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Liechtenstein Museum in Vienna, Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and others.

Works

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  • St. Sebastian

  • Philosopher

  • Virgin and Child with Souls in Purgatory

  • The Asumption of the Virgin

  • Lamentation

  • The Judgment of Paris

  • Dives and Lazarus

  • The Dream of Solomon

  • The Flight into Egypt

  • The Martyrdom of Saint Januarius

  • Messina Returning to Spain

  • Christ Led to Calvary

  • The Parable of the Prodigal Son. The Penitent Swineherd

  • San Gennaro Freed Naples from the Plague

  • The Holy Family

  • Allegory of Justice

  • Diogenes

  • Resurrection

  • Diana and Endymion

  • The Disarming of Cupid, an Allegory of Chastity

  • The Battle between Lapiths and Centaurs

  • Psyche Served by Invisible Spirits

  • Hagar and Ishmael in the Desert

  • Crucifixion of Saint Peter

  • Decorative Ceiling (Palazzo Medici Riccardi)

  • Allegory of Fortitude

  • The Forge of Vulcan

  • Jacob and Rachel at the Well

  • Pythagoras

  • Diana and Endymion

  • Venus Punishing Psyche with a Task

  • The Rape of Helen

  • Martyrdom of Saint Bartolomeo

  • Triumph of the Medici in the Clouds of Mount Olympus

  • Allegory of Temperance

  • The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist

  • Samson and Delilah

  • Tarquin and Lucrece

  • The Death of Archimedes

  • Mythological Scene with the Rape of Proserpine

  • Christ and the Adulteress

  • The Rape of Europa

  • Socrates

  • The Judgement of Paris

  • The Devil Tempting Christ to Turn Stones into Bread

  • Saint Anthony of Padua miraculously restores the Foot of a Self-Mutilated Man

  • The Rape of Lucretia

  • Portrait of Maria Anna of Neuburg

  • Cybele

  • Cupid Visiting the Sleeping Psyche

  • The Triumph of David

  • The Parable of the Prodigal Son. The Fatted Calf

  • The Parable of the Prodigal Son. Riotous Living

  • Charles II, King of Spain, on Horseback

  • The Birth of the Virgin with the Virgin and Child in Glory

  • Pilate Washing His Hands

  • Plato

  • Xanthippe

  • Aristotle

  • Minerva as Protectress of the Arts and Sciences

  • The Triumph of Galatea

  • Allegory of Magnanimity

  • Mathematic

  • Adoration of the Shepherds

  • The Cave of Eternity

  • Bacchus and Ariadne

  • Crates

  • The Lamentation

  • The Annunciation

  • The Judas Kiss

  • The Defeat of Sisera

  • Psyche's Sisters Giving her a Lamp and a Dagger

  • Hercules and Omphale

  • Apotheosis of the Medici

  • A Homage to Velazquez

  • Lot and His Daughters

  • The Liberation of Saint Peter

  • Saint Michael

  • The Death of Seneca

  • The Birth of the Virgin

  • Judith Displaying the Head of Holofernes

  • Allegory of Prudence

  • The Sacrifice of Elijah Against the Prophets of Baal

  • Psyche Transported and Discovering Cupid's Palace

  • Heraclitus and Democritus. Right Panel

  • Heroclito

  • The Triumph of Judith

  • The Visitation

  • The Ecstasy of Saint Mary Magdalen

  • Ecce Homo

  • Psyche's Parents Offering Sacrifice to Apollo

  • Philosopher

  • Self Portrait

  • The Last Supper

  • Psyche Exposed on a Rock

  • The Fall of the Rebel Angels

  • Moses and the Brazen Serpent

  • Psyche Discovering the Sleeping Cupid

  • Saint John the Baptist Preaching

  • Expulsion of the Moneychangers from the Temple

  • Decorative Ceiling (detail) in the Palazzo Medici Riccardi

  • Cynic philosopher

  • The Parable of the Prodigal Son. Receiving His Portion

  • The Parable of the Prodigal Son. Received Home by His Father

  • Psyche Honoured by the People

  • The Discovery of the Body of Holofernes

  • The Judgement of Solomon

  • Flight into Egypt

  • The Judgement of Solomon

  • Raising of Lazarus

  • Cynic philosopher

  • Marriage of the Virgin

  • Heraclitus and Democritus. Left Panel

  • Perseus Fighting Phineas and His Companions

  • The Presentation of Mary at the Temple

  • The Entombment of Christ

  • Christ Cleansing the Temple

  • The Good Samaritan

  • Mythological Scene of Agriculture

  • Christ before Pilate

  • The Rape of the Sabine Women

  • The Creation of Man (detail of decorative ceiling)

  • Bacchus and Ariadne

  • Democritus

  • Young Bacchus Sleeping

  • Saint Sebastian Cured by Irene

  • The Triumph of Bacchus and Ariadne

  • Caton

  • Mars and Venus Caught by Vulcan

  • Allegory of Divine Wisdom

  • Democritus

  • The Parable of the Prodigal Son. Driven out by His Former Companions

• sketch

  • Samson and Delilah

  • Study for Syrinx

  • The Marriage Feast at Cana

Personality

Luca's speed, in design as well as handiwork, and his versatility, which enabled him to imitate other painters deceptively, earned for him two nicknames — "The Thunderbolt" (Fulmine) and "The Proteus".

Quotes from others about the person

• "Giordano was the ideal rococo painter, speedy, prolific, dazzling in colour, assured in draughtsmanship, ever-talented and never touching the fringe of genius." — Michael Levey, an English art historian

Connections

Father:

Antonio Giordano

mentor:

Jusepe de Ribera

mentor:

Pietro da Cortona

patron:

Charles II of Spain

References

• Luca Giordano This book contains more than eighty reproductions of Luca's frescoes, religious and mythical genre scenes with title, date and interesting facts.
  2011
• Luca Giordano, 1634-1705: Los Angeles County Museum
  2001