Roman Charity by Mellin Louvre RF 1985-81 n01

Charles Mellin (1597, Nancy – 21 September 1649, Rome) was a French painter of the

Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...

era. He was from Nancy, Lorraine, but spent his artistic career in Italy, where he was nicknamed ''Carlo Lorenese'' ("Charles the Lorrainer").

Life and work

He worked on murals and decorated the Chapel of the Virgin at the church of San Luigi dei Francesi in Rome in 1631. He had competed with

Nicolas Poussin Nicolas Poussin (, , ; June 1594 – 19 November 1665) was the leading painter of the classical French Baroque style, although he spent most of his working life in Rome. Most of his works were on religious and mythological subjects painted for a ...

and

Giovanni Lanfranco Giovanni Lanfranco (26 January 1582 – 30 November 1647) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period. Biography Giovanni Gaspare Lanfranco was born in Parma, the third son of Stefano and Cornelia Lanfranchi, and was placed as a page in the ho ...

for the job of decorating this chapel. During the early part of his career, Mellin collaborated with, and was influenced by, Simon Vouet, but Vouet's influence diminished after Vouet left Italy for Paris. He is also said to have been influenced by Domenichino. After Vouet's departure, he worked for the Muti Papazzurri family as official painter. He decorated the

Palazzo Muti The Palazzo Muti (officially the Palazzo Muti e Santuario della Madonna dell' Archetto) is a large townhouse in the Piazza dei Santi Apostoli, Rome, Santi Apostoli, Rome, Italy, built in 1644. Together with the neighboring Palazzo Muti Papazzurri ...

between 1628 and 1631, painting the vaults of the Galleria, and remnants of his work there still survive. He also taught painting to the two sons of the Muti Papazzurri family. In Rome, he painted a fresco, '' St. Francis de Paul before Sixtus V'', for the church of

Trinità dei Monti The church of the Santissima Trinità dei Monti, often called merely the Trinità dei Monti ( French: ''La Trinité-des-Monts''), is a Roman Catholic late Renaissance titular church in Rome, central Italy. It is best known for its position above ...

. He also decorated the choir at the Abbey of Monte Cassino from 1636 until 1637 with a cycle of 15 paintings, which was destroyed during the

Battle of Monte Cassino The Battle of Monte Cassino, also known as the Battle for Rome and the Battle for Cassino, was a series of four assaults made by the Allies against German forces in Italy during the Italian Campaign of World War II. The ultimate objective was ...

in World War II. From 1643 to 1647 he worked in Naples. He created a ''Purification of the Virgin'' for the high altar of the church of the Santissima Annunziata Maggiore in the city, which was completed in 1645. This painting was lost in a 1757 fire, but there is an etched copy that survives. In Naples, he painted an ''Immaculate Conception'' (1646) and an ''Annunciation'' (1647) for the church of

Santa Donna Regina Nuova Santa Maria Donnregina Nuova is a church in central Naples, Italy. It is called ''Nuova'' ("new") to distinguish it from the older Angevin church of Santa Maria Donna Regina Vecchia. History The earliest church was built on this location in the ...

. The revolt of

Masaniello Masaniello (, ; an abbreviation of Tommaso Aniello; 29 June 1620 – 16 July 1647) was an Italian fisherman who became leader of the 1647 revolt against the rule of Habsburg Spain in the Kingdom of Naples. Name and place of birth Until recent ...

caused him to leave Naples for Rome. He trained painters, such as

Nicolas Labbé Nicolas or Nicolás may refer to: People Given name * Nicolas (given name) Mononym * Nicolas (footballer, born 1999), Brazilian footballer * Nicolas (footballer, born 2000), Brazilian footballer Surname Nicolas * Dafydd Nicolas (c.1705–17 ...

, but did not have a workshop per se.

Works

*''The Holy Family with the Infant St. John''. Oil on canvas - 58,5 x 74,5 cm. Paris, private collection. Simon Vouet or his workshop - Ascribed to Charles Mellin. *''Angels with Instruments of Christ’s Passion''. Oil on canvas - 102 x 78 cm. Naples, Museo Nazionale di Capodimonte. * ''Apollo''. Oil on canvas - 108 x 86 cm Paris, private collection. * ''The Assumption of the Virgin''. Oil on canvas - 98,1 x 103,1 cm. Puerto Rico, Museo de Arte de Ponce. * ''The Stoning of Saint Stephen''. Oil on canvas - 189 x 283 cm. Caen, église Saint-Etienne * ''The Stoning of Saint Stephen''. Oil on canvas - 48 x 66 cm. San Casciano, Bandini-Granelli Collection. * ''Saint Stephen''. Oil on canvas - 61 x 48,5 cm. Nantes, Musée des Beaux-Arts. * ''The Sacrifice of Abel''. Oil on canvas - 38 x 29,5 cm. Nancy, Musée Lorrain. *''The Annunciation''. Pen, brown ink and wash - 20,6 x 21,2 cm. Montpellier, Musée Fabre. *''Saint Stephen''. Attributed to the circle of Charles Mellin. Oil on canvas - 101 x 139 cm. Ajaccio, Musée Fesch. *''Portrait of a Gentleman''. Attributed to Charles Mellin. Gemäldegalerie, Berlin. 1630. Oil on canvas. 121 cm (47.64 in). Height: 203 cm (79.92 in).

References

Sources

*Philippe Malgouyres, ''Charles Mellin, un Lorrain entre Rome et Naples'', Somogy Editions d’Art. .

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mellin, Charles 1597 births 1649 deaths Artists from Nancy, France French Baroque painters Fresco painters