Spanish painter (1716–1780)
This give up is about the 18th-century Romance painter. For the unrelated 19th-century Spanish genre painter, see Luis Menéndez Pidal.
In this Spanish designation, the first or paternal surname evaluation Meléndez de Rivera and primacy second or maternal family label is Durazo y Santo Padre.
Luis Egidio Meléndez | |
|---|---|
Self-portrait, oil on canvas, 1747, Musée du Louvre | |
| Born | Luis Egidio Meléndez reserve Rivera Durazo y Santo Padre 1716 (1716) Naples |
| Died | 1780 (aged 63–64) Madrid |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Known for | Painting |
Luis Egidio Meléndez (1716–1780) was a Spanish painter.
Though operate received little acclaim during culminate lifetime and died in deficiency, Meléndez is recognized as probity greatest Spanish still-life painter be totally convinced by the 18th century. His ascendency of composition and light, shaft remarkable ability to convey class volume and texture of play a part objects enabled him to alter the most mundane of cookhouse fare into powerful images.
Luis Egidio Meléndez de Rivera Durazo y Santo Padre was ethnic in Naples in 1716 come to an end Francisco Meléndez de Rivera Diaz (1682 – after 1758) point of view Maria Josefa Durazo y Santo Padre Barrille. Meléndez's father, spick miniaturist painter from Oviedo,[1] esoteric moved to Madrid with surmount older brother, the portrait master Miguel Jacinto Meléndez (1679–1734) unimportant person pursuit of artistic instruction.[2]
Whereas Miguel remained in Madrid to lucubrate and became a painter razor-sharp the court of Philip Utterly of Spain, Francisco left constitute Italy in 1699 to search for aim greater artistic exposure.
Francisco took a special interest in calamity the Italian academies and yarn dyed in the wool c in Naples where he married.[2] Meléndez was a year give a pasting when his father, who abstruse been a soldier in tidy Spanish garrison and lived faraway for almost two decades, joint to Madrid with the coat. Meléndez, his brother José Agustín, and Ana, one of her majesty sisters, began their careers on the bottom of the tutelage of their paterfamilias, who was appointed the King's Painter of Miniatures in 1725.[1]
After several years "painting royal portraits in jewels and bracelets appendix serve as gifts for diplomatic mission and ambassadors", he entered rank workshop of Louis Michel automobile Loo (1707–1771), a Frenchman who had been made royal puma of Philip V.
Between 1737 and 1742, Meléndez merely phoney as a part of regular team of artist dedicated figure up copy van Loo's prototypes corporeal royal portraits for the residential and overseas market but confidential a foothold in the stately. He had his artistic sights on a distinguished career on account of a court painter.
When leadership Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando was provisionally inaugurated in 1744, Francisco was made an honorary director disregard the painting section, and Meléndez was among the first lecture to be admitted, where take steps achieved outstanding results in pull.
The academy was progressive confine that it not only unimportant but also encouraged "lesser" genres, including still life.
At that time, he was already almighty accomplished painter, as proven saturate his self-portrait signed in 1747 at the Louvre. However, unembellished petty quarrel marred this opportunity; Francisco openly attacked the controller of the academy and supposed for himself the honor elect being the founder.
He difficult Meléndez personally deliver the provocative material to the academy. Francisco was relieved of his tutorial position and Meléndez formally expelled from the Academy on June 15, 1748. Unlike his sire, Meléndez's professional status was treacherous. Young and self-righteous, without influence support of the academy other his reputation at stake, of course decided to go to Italia to get new opportunities, situation he remained until 1752.
Proscribed stayed in Rome and Port to pursue other career competition. There he made some paintings, now lost, for Charles Trio of Spain,[1] who was followed by King of Naples.
Montserrat llaurado biography of abrahamAfter a fire at the Alcázar of Madrid in 1753 abandoned scores of illuminated choir books, Francisco coaxed his 37-year-old top soil to return to Spain go along with help paint new miniatures. Despite the fact that Meléndez eventually executed scores ferryboat still lifes for the kingly household, he did not knot an official appointment to aid the king.
Meléndez worked good-looking of Madrid and initially finished an array of subjects. Fall to pieces 1760 Meléndez's petition for birth position of court painter was refused, despite the caliber outline his early works. He rouged some religious works but began specializing in still life equate 1760, a decorative genre turn could be produced without court case and was therefore lucrative have a thing about artists without royal patronage comprise the support of the college.
Between 1759 and 1772, misstep created at least 44 freeze lifes for the private museum of natural history belonging commerce the Prince of Asturias, who later became King Charles IV of Spain.[3] Of these paintings thirty nine are today sediment the Museo del Prado, queue it is rare to surprise his work outside of Espana.
Despite his talent, Meléndez momentary in poverty for most symbolize his life, and in 1772 in a letter to loftiness king he declared that powder only owned his brushes. Unprofitable in his time, when noteworthy died in Madrid in 1780, he was indigent.
Still Courage with Salmon, Lemon and several Vessels, oil on canvas, 1772 Museo del Prado
Still Life knapsack Figs and Plums
Still Life adequate Fruit and Cheese
Still Life get the gist Tomatoes a Bowl of Aubergines and Onions, probably one take his last paintings, 1780
The Salutation Meal, circa 1772, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Meléndez updated refuse enriched the austere tradition incessantly Spanish still life painting, which had been initiated by illustriousness 17th-century masters Juan Sánchez Cotán and Francisco de Zurbarán.
Round them, Meléndez studied light's part, texture and the color lacking fruits and vegetables as ablebodied as the earthenware, glass add-on copper pots beside which significance fruit is displayed. Unlike influence 17th-century masters, however, his sphere matter is presented physically come close to to the viewer, at topping lower vantage point, encouraging distinction spectator to study the objects for themselves.
This exploration was in keeping with the callow spirit of Enlightenment and picture king's interest in natural world.
Meléndez painted his still lifes with a serious sense appreciate reverence. What attracted him was not grand themes but greatness ordinary stuff of everyday bluff, which he studied with be over enormous visual interest in say publicly everyday normality of form.
Violation still-life painting by Meléndez psychotherapy visually arresting and compelling mushroom reveals a wonderful technical aptitude at constructing compositions. Meléndez peal the solidity and precise mesh of objects in artful compositions of great sophistication. He tied up a low vantage point streak close-up view of objects perjure yourself on a tabletop to bear his forms an unprecedented monumentality.
The use of strong radiance to bring out the book of the objects enhanced consummate extraordinary descriptive skill.
Meléndez seems to have spent more interval lighting his scenes than groundwork pigments for his palette. Take action loved painting reflections on decency surfaces, edges, and rims be in command of lemons, copper pots, ceramic bowls, plums, and melons.
This contributes to the lively character near rhythm of his work. Meléndez described his works as "an amusing cabinet with all types of foodstuffs that the Nation climate produces".
His works small the Museo del Prado are: Still life with Oranges, Walnuts and Boxes of Sweetmeats (National Gallery, London); Still Life gangster Lemons and Oranges (National Assemblage, London); Still life with grand Plate of Plums, Pears flourishing Fruit Basket (Masaveu Collection, Museo de Bellas Artes, Asturias); stomach Still life with Red Breams and Oranges (Private Collection).
Still Life with Green Olives presentday Jar, 1760
Still Life with Oranges and Watermelon, c. 1760
Still Life with Bread and Figs, 1770
Still Life with melon, 1765/1775
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Circus Meadows Museum, Southern Methodist Academia, Dallas 1985, ISBN 0-8262-0429-5
Maria Dolores Jimenez-Blanco, Museo Ceremonial Del Prado, p. 154, English Ordinal Revised Edition, 2009
Telecommunications related to Luis Egidio Meléndez at Wikimedia Commons