(Naples, 1716-Madrid, 1780) was a Spanish painter. Although he received little acclaim during his lifetime and died in poverty, Melendez is recognized today as the greatest Spanish still-life painter of the 18th century. His mastery of composition and light, and his remarkable ability to convey the volume and texture of individual objects enabled him to transform the most mundane of kitchen fare into powerful images. Luis Egidio Melendez de Rivera Durazo y Santo Padre was born in Naples in 1716. His father, Francisco Melendez de Rivera Diaz (1682- after 1758), was a miniaturist painter from Oviedo who had moved to Madrid with his older brother, the portrait painter Miguel Jacinto Melendez (1679-1734) in pursuit of artistic instruction. Whereas Miguel remained in Madrid to study and became a painter in the court of Philip V, Francisco left for Italy in 1699 to seek greater artistic exposure. Francisco took a special interest in visiting the Italian academies and settled in Naples where he married Maria Josefa Durazo y Santo Padre Barrille.Luis was a year old when his father, who had been a soldier in a Spanish garrison and lived abroad for almost two decades, returned to Madrid with the family. Luis Egidio, his brother Jose Agusten, and Ana, one of his sisters, began their careers under the tutelage of their father, who was appointed the King's Painter of Miniatures in 1725.After several years, in his words: painting royal portraits in jewels and bracelets to serve as gifts for envoys and ambassadors, he entered the workshop of Louis Michel van Loo (1707-1771), a Frenchman who had been made royal painter of Philip V of Spain. Between 1737 to 1742, Melendez worked as a part of a team of artist dedicated to copying van Loo's prototypes of royal portraits for the domestic and overseas market, but at least he had a foothold in the palace. He had his artistic sights on a distinguished career as a court painter.  Related Paintings of Luis Egidio Melendez :. | Still Life with Oranges | portrait Holding an Academic Study | Still Life With Figs | Still Life with Melon and Pears | Detail of Self-portrait Holding an Academic Study |
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Girolamo da Carpi
(1501-1556) was an Italian painter and decorator who worked at the Court of the House of Este in Ferrara. He began painting in Ferrara, by report apprenticing to Benvenuto Tisi (il Garofalo); but by age 20, he had moved to Bologna, and is considered a figure of Early Renaissance painting of the local Bolognese School. He trained in the studio of a local painter who showed the influence of Lorenzo Costa and Raphael. In the 1520s Girolamo visited Rome and Bologna and was inspired by the Mannerist style of Giulio Romano. Geographically and stylistically he straddles the various influences. He returned to Ferrara and collaborated with Dosso Dossi and Garofalo among others on commissions for the d'Este family. Girolamo became the architect to Pope Julius III in 1550 and supervised the remodeling of the Vatican's belvedere. Returning to Ferrara, he was charged of the enlargements of the Castello Estense. Da Carpi's paintings include a Descent of the Holy Spirit, in the church of St Francis at Rovigo; a Madonna, an Adoration of the Magi, and a St. Catharine at Bologna; and the St. George and the St. Jerome at Ferrara.
Neufchatel, Nicolas de
Flemish, practiced mainly in Germany, 1527-90
Henry h.parker
1859-1930