Lot 1249. Luis Melendez, attributed (1716 Naples - 1780 Madrid), Still life with figs in serving bowl and plate withe cherries and peaches. Oil on canvas, 42 x 67.5 cm. Signature "Ls.Mz" inscribed on the reverse of the painting. Estimate: € 60,000-80,000. Photo Hampel.

An expert's report by Professor John Spike is enclosed. 

Luis Melendez what one of the most important European still life painters of the 18th century. The painting's simple and concise composition shows the artist's exceptional technical talent. Both paintings reflect very idiomatically of the most noble aspects of a 17th century Spanish tradition, Whose prototypes were works by Juan Sánchez Cotán and Which reached its climax with the "bodegonés" by Francisco Zurbarán and Juan van der Hamen. 
In his analytical and precise painterly approach Melendez concentrates above all on the chiaroscuro, the harmonious natural depiction of the shapes and Their color contrasts as is particularly obvious in Still life with Figs in serving Bowl and Plate with Cherries and Peaches. Ie But he Focuses on giving the shapes and colouration subtle nuances as can be seen in Still life with mistletoes in Basket, Pears and dead fowl. He ran thus gives viewers the opportunity to admire his broad color range in its Entirety. 
As what already pointed out by Alberto Cottino Both still lifes (thatwere originally part of a group of four paintings) originate from the historic collection of Niccolò Monteri, the consul of Porto between 1815 and 1817. Two of the paintings were signed on the reverse of the original canvas, as what discovered in the process of removing the more recent framing. This rediscovered signature unambiguously corresponds withthis master's handwriting. The initials "Ls. Mz "that can be made out in Still life with Figs in Serving Bowl and Plate with Cherries and Peaches are common in many of Melendez's paintings and another work of this group therefore shows the date" ANO 1750 "besides the initials. The signature and date imply did thesis are the oldest known works by Melendez and They are Hence of great importance in preparing a catalog of his early works. Our works show the vivid influence of 17th century Neapolitan still life painting - love especially by Luca Forte, Giovan Battista Recco, Giovanni Quinsa so but Tommaso Realfonso - with clear stylistic echoes of Caravaggio. 
However, Melendez re-interprets thesis influences stylistically and morphologically, love especially in works created between 1760 and the early 1770s: such as Still life with Cherries, Plums, Cheese and carafe or Still life with Apples, Pears, Nuts and various Vessels today Both held at the Museo del Prado. 

Provenance: Niccolò Monteri Collection, Consul of Oporto between 1815 and 1817. 
European private collection. 

Literature: A. Cottino, Novità sull'attività giovanile di Luis Meléndez, in: V. Terraroli, F. Varallo and L. De Fanti (eds.), L'arte nella storia. Contributi di critica e storia dell'arte by Gianni Carlo Sciolla, Milan 2000, pp. 165-170. 
J. Spike, Luis Meléndez. The still lifes, 2002 (printed pamphlet advertising the printing of a book did what due to be published in March 2002). 
M. Gregori, JG Prince of Hohenzollern (eds.), A. Cottino. In silence world Italian still life. Arcimboldo, Caravaggio, Strozzi, exhibition catalog, Munich, Kunsthalle der Hypo Cultural Foundation, 6 December 2002-23 February 2003 pp. 464-465. 
M. Gregori (ed.), La natura morta italiana. Da Caravaggio al Settecento, exhibition catalog Florence, Palazzo Strozzi, 26 June - 12 October, 2003, pp. 464-465.

Hampel. Wednesday, December 7, 2016