MELÉNDEZ, Luis
(b. 1716, Napoli, d. 1780, Madrid)

Still-Life

c. 1770
Oil on canvas
Private collection

Meléndez's still lifes, like this one, are simple compositions representing everyday objects with a monumentality and rigour that mark a sharp contrast with their ordinariness. Obsessed with meaningful details and different textures, he turned to motifs such as fruit, pots and pans, bread, vegetables, etc., arranging them in infinite variations. A number of his still lifes dated from 1750 to 1778 have survived.