Giordano, Luca

Giordano, Luca (called Fa Presto), an eminent Italian painter, was born at Naples in 1632, and was instructed in the school of Gituseppe Ribera. He spent some time at Rome, where he improved rapidly. There is a picture by him in the palace at Madrid, representing The Nativity, which, from its excellence, is often taken for a production of Raphael. In 1692 he was appointed painter to the king of Spain. He executed the sacristy of the cathedral at Toledo; the vault of the royal chapel at Madrid. In 1702 he went to Naples, where he had so many commissions that he could scarcely fulfill them. He painted an altar-piece in the Church of the Ascension, at Naples, which is considered one of his best works. Probably no artist ever produced as many pictures as he did. He died at Naples, Jan. 12, 1705. The following are some of his excellent productions: Elijah calling Fire from Heaven; The Virgin and Infant Jesus; St. Joseph and St. John; Malgdalene Penitent; The Adulteress before Christ; Christ Disputing with the Doctors; St. Anne Received into Heaven by the Virgin. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v; Spooner, Biog. Hist. of the Fine Arts, s.v.