Ilario Mercanti Detto Lo Spolverini Artwork valuations, appraisals and auction estimates

Ilario or Pier Ilario or Ilario Giacinto Mercanti known as Spolverini (Parma, 1657 – Parma or Piacenza, 1734) was an Italian painter. He was Francesco Monti's best student and like him he became famous for his paintings depicting battles, so much so that it was said that "the soldiers from Brescia threatened and those from Spolverini killed". Read the full biography

Ilario or Pier Ilario or Ilario Giacinto Mercanti known as Spolverini (Parma, 1657 – Parma or Piacenza, 1734) was an Italian painter. He was Francesco Monti's best student and like him he became famous for his paintings depicting battles, so much so that it was said that "the soldiers from Brescia threatened and those from Spolverini killed". After leaving his school, he went to Florence where he studied the works of Jacques Courtois known as Borgognone. He later moved to Venice, where he painted many battle paintings, representing all types of skirmishes and military actions, with a large number of figures and buildings in the background. Among the most important and famous works are those present in the Cappello room in Venice. He worked for the court of Duke Francesco Farnese. In 1714, for the news of the wedding of Philip V and Elizabeth Farnese, he made the drawings of the figurative frontispiece and five very large Atlantic panels, the carving of which was carried out by several mediocre artists. In Busseto, in the Pallavicini house, it was possible to see many battle paintings, excellently painted by this author. Among his students we remember Francesco Simonini from Parmesan (1686, Venice 1733), who also specialized in painting battles. He died in 1734.