SPADA, spi'da, Leonello, or ESPADA, Italian painter : b. Bologna, 1576; d. Parma, 1622. He became the pupil of Carrachos and Cesar Baglioni and an intimate friend and imitator of Caravagio whom he considered his master and with whom he traveled. On his master's death he returned to Bologna and spent his latter days at the court of the Duke of Parma. Espada's power developed, when freed from the direct influence of Caravagio removed by the death of the latter. He developed a style until then unknown in painting, in which he showed a surprising mastery of color and of claro-obscurio and displayed creative talent un common even in his day. Among his works (which are well known in European galleries) are 'Santo Domingo,' represented as burning the heretical books (Santo Domingo Church Bosco) ; 'San Jeronimo' (in the same church) ; 'Abigail giving provisions to David for the Army> (in the church of the Madonna della Ghiara, in Reggio) • 'Judith' ; 'Esther' ; 'The Madonna Crowned"; 'The Aurora' (frescoes and paintings in the same church). In Parma, where Espada was court painter to the duke, he decorated the theatre of the capital in such a fine style that there was none other equal to it in his day, and he left the mark of his genius everywhere throughout the city in the shape of talented paintings, among them being 'The Virgin and Saints' (in Santo Sepulcro) ; 'San
(in Capuchins) ; 'Christ' (in Steccata) ;
Espada's paintings are scattered throughout most, of the larger cities of Italy and many of them have found their way outside the coun try. Among the best known of those not al ready mentioned are 'The Virgin and San Francisco de AsisP (in Modena Gallery) ; 'Auto-retroto of Espada' (in Florence gal lery) ; 'Christ tied to a Pillar) (in the Naples Museum) ; 'The Chastity of Jose) (Faragina gallery, Genoa) ; 'Jesus Crowned with Thorns); 'David with the Head of 'Cupid Playing with a Leopard) (all in the Dresden Museum) ; 'Return of the Prodigal Son); 'Death of San Cristobal) (in the Louvre) ; 'Santa Cecilia) (Madrid Museum).