GIORDANO, LUCA (163 2-1705) , Italian painter, was born in Naples, son of the painter Antonio, who imparted to him the first rudiments of drawing. He was a pupil of Giuseppe Ribera. He acquired the nickname of Luca Fa-presto (Luke Work-fast), derived from the almost miraculous celerity with which from an early age he handled the brush. He copied nearly 20 times the "Battle of Constantine" by Giulio Romano, and with propor tionate frequency several great works of Raphael and Michel angelo. His rapidity, which belonged as much to invention as to mere handiwork, and his versatility, which enabled him to imitate other painters deceptively, earned for him two other epithets, "Fulmine" (the Thunderbolt) and "The Proteus," of Paint ing. He visited all the main seats of the Italian school of art, and formed for himself a style combining in a certain measure the ornamental pomp of Paul Veronese and the contrasting corn positions and large schemes of Pietro da Cortona. Returning to Naples, he practised his art with so much applause that Charles II. of Spain in 1692 invited him over to Madrid, where he re mained eight years. Soon after the death of Charles in 1700 Gior dano, gorged with wealth, returned to Naples. He spent large sums in acts of munificence, and was particularly liberal to his poorer brethren of the art. He again visited various parts of Italy, and .died in Naples on Jan. 12, I 705, his last words being "0 Napoli, sospiro mio" (0 Naples, my heart's love!). One of his maxims was that the good painter is the one whom the public like, and that the public are attracted more by colour than by design.
Giordano left numerous oil pictures besides extensive fresco paintings. One of the most renowned works is "Christ expelling the Traders from the Temple," in the church of the Padri Giro lamini, a colossal work, full of expressive lazzaroni ; also the frescoes of S. Martino, and those in the Tesoro della Certosa, in cluding the subject of "Moses and the Brazen Serpent"; and the cupola-paintings in the Church of S. Brigida, which contains the artist's own tomb. In Spain he executed a surprising number of works—continuing in the Escorial the series commenced by Cambiasi, and painting frescoes of the "Triumphs of the Church," the "Genealogy and Life of the Madonna," the stories of Moses, Gideon, David and Solomon, and the "Celebrated Women of Scripture," all works of large dimensions. His pupils, Aniello Rossi and Matteo Pacelli, assisted him in Spain. In Florence, near the end of his life, he painted the Cappella Corsini, the impressive ceiling decoration in the Palazzo Medici and other works. In youth he etched with considerable skill some of his own paintings, such as the "Slaughter of the Priests of Baal." He also painted much on the crystal borderings of looking-glasses, cabinets, etc., seen in many Italian palaces, and was, in this form of art, the master of Pietro Garofolo. His best pupil, in painting, was Paolo de Matteis. His influence on Spanish art was detrimental to the local traditions.
Bellori, in his Vite de' pittori moderni, is a leading authority regarding Luca Giordano. See also W. Rolfs, Geschichte der Malerei Neapels (191o).