Luis Melendez Oil Painting Reproductions

Luis Melendez Spanish Still Life Paintings

Luis Melendez is regarded as the most famous artist of Spanish still life paintings. He excelled at capturing the beauty of everyday objects, and his still-life paintings display unparalleled precision. Art enthusiasts acknowledge his oil paintings for their meticulous attention to detail.

Still life paintings depict inanimate objects. Melendez's paintings frequently include fruit, vegetables, and kitchen utensils, capturing a sense of vibrancy and realism. Luis Melendez's art has rightly earned him a place as one of the most famous Spanish artists of the 18th century. His oil paintings are not just representations but celebrations of the ordinary.

Melendez’s Early Life and Career

He was born Luis Egidio Melendez in 1716 in Naples, Italy, where he spent his early years. His parents were Spanish, and he began his artistic career in Madrid. His elder brother, Miguel, stayed in Madrid as a Court painter for King Philip V of Spain.

Luis moved to Naples with his family, where he was tutored by his father, Francisco Melendez, a miniaturist painter appointed to the Court of Philip V of Spain. The Spanish Royal art collection has been acquired over centuries, with King Philip IV adding over 4,000 famous Spanish paintings during his reign.

Luis Melendez's famous paintings include many fruits, including apples, grapes, and pears. His Spanish art provides insight into the lives of the middle class during the 18th century.

Famous Paintings by Spanish Artist Luis Melendez.

The Bilbao Museum displays Still Life with Fruit and Jug, painted c1773.

The Afternoon Meal, painted c1772, is a colorful landscape format painting that is on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Still, Life with Salmon, Lemon, and Three Vessels, 1772, is just one of many Luis Melendez paintings displayed at the Museum del Prado in Madrid.

Still Life with Melon and Pears, also painted in c. 1772, is a still life painting in the European Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

Still Life with Figs and Bread, c. 1770, is on view in the West Building of the National Gallery of Art.

Influence and Legacy

Although oil paintings by Luis Melendez attracted the attention of King V of Spain, he never received Royal patronage. For the majority of his life, he lived in poverty, dying as a pauper. His still-life paintings inspired many other 18th century artists.

Art Reproductions of Famous Still Life Paintings

Buy art reproductions on canvas from other still life artists, such as Severin Roesen, Levi Wells Prentice, and Balthasar van der Ast. Our replica art is 100% hand-painted by one of our professional artists.