Gaspare Lopez Artwork valuations, appraisals and auction estimates

Born in Naples in the last quarter of the seventeenth century, Gaspare Lopez was a nature-mortist painter of the late Baroque period. According to the Neapolitan biographer Bernardo De Dominici he began his studies with the painter Andrea Belvedere, and then continued them with Jean-Baptiste Dubuisson. Read the full biography

Born in Naples in the last quarter of the seventeenth century, Gaspare Lopez was a nature-mortist painter of the late Baroque period. According to the Neapolitan biographer Bernardo De Dominici he began his studies with the painter Andrea Belvedere, and then continued them with Jean-Baptiste Dubuisson. Following the experiences gained with the latter, Lopez oriented himself towards an illusionistic painting that has exquisite outdoor floral triumphs as its subject. Following the successes achieved in the Neapolitan city, Lopez moved to Rome and then to Venice. After also traveling in Poland, Prussia and Portugal, he returned to Italy and settled in Florence where he remained until his death in 1740. It is assumed that he arrived in Florence in 1728, the year in which he enrolled at the Accademia del Disegno. His elegant floral compositions immediately had great success with the Medici who appointed him court painter; in particular he was appreciated by the Grand Duke Gian Gastone and his sister, the Electress Palatine, Anna Maria Luisa. Contributing to his rise as a flower painter was the lack of important rivals in the grand ducal city after the death of Andrea Scacciati in 1710 and that of Bartolomeo Bimbi in 1729; He was thus much sought after by the Florentine nobles for whom he created refined compositions in which he had fused the experiences gained in Naples and on travels with those acquired in Tuscany. Injured following a brawl during a trip to Venice, Lopez returned to Florence where he died on 15 October 1740. He was buried in the church of San Michele Visdomini.