Hurry Up, Luca !

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

The Neapolitan painter Luca Giordano was known to his contemporaries under the name of Fa Presto (Hurry up). The legend tells that this is how his father, also an artist, encouraged his spontaneity.

This designation desserts today, because it gives the impression of sloppy work. Rather, it should show us the passion of this artist for drawing and his ability to imitate his predecessors with speed and quality.

Luca comes in the history of art after Veronese and Piero di Cortona, but he was also influenced by the clear line and the bold colors of Mattia Preti, who was in Naples since 1653. The religious scenes of the two artists are animated by many characters in anecdotal attitudes.

Produced circa 1660 while Luca was not yet thirty, Gesu tra i Dottore is a large oil on canvas, 188 x 348 cm, which reminds us that he was also a fresco artist. It is for sale by Porro in Milan on October 21.

On January 24, 2008, Sotheby's sold 937 K $ including premium another oil on canvas of large size (234 x 335 cm) of mythological subject. The animation density was comparable to Porro's work. So we have good hopes that the estimate of the latter, 250 K €, is achieved and exceeded.

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

This painting was sold 225 K€ including premium, below the estimate.