GIORDANO, jOr-diitno, Luca, called FA PRESTO (1632-1705). An Italian painter, born in Naples. He was the son of an inferior painter who continually urged him on at his work, say ing, "Luca, work quickly." Thus the boy ac quired the nickname of Fa-Presto. He painted with such facility that at the age of thirteen the Viceroy of Naples placed him under the instruc tion of Giuseppi Ribera. When still young he went to Rome, where he made many copies of the pictures by the great masters. There he was much employed by Pietro da Cortona to assist in his numerous contracts. He afterwards visited Venice and studied the works of Titian and Paul Veronese; later, on his return to Naples, he was fitted to undertake important work. Throughout his life he never lacked patronage. In 1679 he was invited to Florence by the Grand Duke Cosi mo III. There he decorated with frescoes the cupola of the Corsini Chapel, later the Galleria Rieardi with a fresco of Olympus. In 1678 he executed an immense picture to commemorate the peace between France, Spain. and Holland, and the following year in Florence he painted in the Chapel of Saint Andrea Corsini. In 1690 he was invited to Spain by Charles II., and ap pointed painter to the King and made a knight. He painted some of his best frescoes in San Lo renzo del Escorial in the grand staircase repre senting "The Battle of Saint Quentin" and "The Taking of Montmorency." He also decorated
other churches and palaces at Madrid and Toledo. After the death of Charles II. Giordano continued in the service of Philip V., and in 1702 he ac companied that monarch to Naples and was re ceived with great enthusiasm. So great had now become his power of painting rapidly that it is said he painted for the Jesuits a picture of "Saint Francis Xavier Baptizing the Indians," now in the Museum of Naples, in a day and a half. In like manner he completed the frescoes of the Tesoro di San Martino, Naples, repre senting the "Story of Judith" in forty-eight hours.
He painted an incredible number of pictures; all the chief galleries of Europe are well supplied with them. Madrid has a great number, and there are' many others at Dresden, Vienna, Naples, and Munich. His earliest works are in the manner of Ribera, but by far the greater number are in a style formed under Pietro da Cortona. He possessed ready invention. His color is harmonious and his brush-work good; but his pictures were negligently executed. Among his best works, besides those mentioned above, are "Venus and Mars," in the Louvre; the "Judg ment of Paris," in Berlin; "David with the Head of Goliath," and "Lot and His Daughters," at Dresden; "Massacre of the Innocents," Munich; "The Archangel Michael," Vienna, etc.