The main artistic movements in chronological order
Biographies of some of the greatest representatives of Italian art
Some of the most beautiful and representative monuments and works of Italian art
Luca Giordano was born in Naples in 1634. He studied in Naples with Jusepe de Ribera. In 1652 he moved to Rome, where he became acquainted with Pietro da Cortona and his followers. He worked in Naplesand Montecassino, where he painted many frescos including: the frescos in the dome of Santa Brigida, the decorations in the church and the monastery of St Gregory Armeno.
In 1667 he went to Venice, where he was deeply touched by Titian’s painting style and Veronese’s use of colour.
He lived in Florence between 1682 and 1686. He painted the frescos in palazzo Medici Riccardi, in 1692 he was invited to Spain by king Carlos II; he painted the frescos in the Escorial, the Cason of Buen Retiro, in the sacristy of the cathedral of Toledo and in the monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
In 1704 he returned to Naples, where he let his vivid imagination run free: the canvases of the church of Santa Maria Egiziaca a Forcella and the frescos of the Carthusian monastery of S. Martino are good examples of his style in the last period of his life.
Luca Giordano died in Naples in 1705.
