Seeking to step up from miniaturist to court painter, Luis Melendez showcased his talents in a broader field by painting this bold and confident "Self-Portrait” in 1746. Although the large (38½ by 31 7/8 inches) work documents his ability to render a likeness of himself as an assured artist, to deftly delineate textures of clothing and accessories and create an effective composition, it failed to open doors to the position for which he yearned. Musee du Louvre, Paris. —Herve Lewandowski photo
:Hardly a familiar name even to devoted art lovers, Luis Melendez (1715–1780) is nonetheless considered one of the greatest Spanish painters of the Eighteenth Century and one of the all-time great still life painters. To Twenty-First Century connoisseurs, his paintings look superbly composed, astutely lighted and painted with breathtaking precision in engaging — one can say, appetizing — compositions. Yet Melendez's recognition over the years seems to have been lost in the towering shadow of fellow Spaniard Francisco Goya (1746–1828).
In recent years, however, scholars and collectors have taken an increasing interest in the Spanish still life master, stimulated by extensive technical findings about Melendez's meticulous painting methods. There is renewed appreciation for the sheer beauty of his oeuvre — his remarkable talent for rendering ordinary objects with acute detail, wondrous effects of color and light and subtle variations of texture. Moreover, his stark realism and austere compositions, reflecting timeless sensibilities, anticipate aspects of Modern art.
This revived appreciation for the artist's achievements is bound to be enhanced by a superb retrospective, "Luis Melendez, Master of Spanish Still Life," already seen at the National Gallery of Art and at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). It is currently on view at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, through May 9.
Organized by National Gallery curator Gretchen A. Hirschauer and conservator Catherine A. Metzger and by LACMA curator Patrice Marandel, the exhibition features 28 paintings by Melendez, plus a selection of Eighteenth Century kitchenware, similar to those used by the artist as studio props. Both Hirschauer and National Gallery director Earl A. Powell III say that Melendez created "some of the best still lifes ever made."
Demonstrating his skill at depicting fish up close and personal, Melendez included two glistening sea breams in "Still Life with Bream, Oranges, Garlic, Condiments and Kitchen Utensils,” 1772. Viewers can see every scale and the fishes' unsettling eyes as they lie on a table amid items needed to cook a meal. Few painters have matched the artist's ability to render fish. Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid.
Melendez became a premier still life painter during a career filled with ambition and failure, dogged by a sense of personal despair. Little is known about many aspects of his life and career, but it is fair to say that his progress was held back by a series of incidents and a difficult personality.
Born in Naples, Italy, then under Spanish rule, Melendez was initially trained in miniature painting by his Spanish artist/father, Francisco Antonio, a talented miniaturist and embellisher of manuscripts. Melendez also worked for six years in the studio of a French portraitist to the Spanish royal court, reproducing likenesses of the royal family.
In 1738, Melendez apparently stabbed one of his father's former apprentices who had been found guilty of raping his older sister. No charges were filed against him, but art historian Peter Cherry in the catalog says, "The incident was a chilling example of the audacity and pride that made up" the personality of Melendez, driving him "to take the law into his own hands, personally and fiercely avenging the family honor." This was a forerunner of a life filled with arguments and dust-ups.
In a revealing self portrait painted in 1746 just after he received the highest mark on the examination to enter the inaugural class at Madrid's provisional royal academy of art, the 31-year-old Melendez showcased his talents. He presented himself as an elegantly dressed, self-assured — even haughty — young artist, holding a drawing of a male nude. It is an accomplished work, highlighted by the play of light on accurately rendered objects and textures and subtle color variations that distinguished his later work.
