ind was despatch." Probably no artist, not even
Tintoretto, produced so many pictures as Giordano. Lanzi says, "his
facility was not derived wholly from a rapidity of pencil, but was aided
by the quickness of his imagination, which enabled him clearly to
perceive, from the commencement of the work, the result he intended,
without hesitating to consider the component parts, or doubling,
proving, and selecting, like other painters." Hence Giordano was also
called, _Il proteo della pittura_, and _Il Falmine della pittura_--the
Proteus, and the Lightning of painting. As an instance of the latter, it
is recorded that he painted a picture while his guests were waiting for
dinner.

GIORDANO'S POWERS OF IMITATION.

Giordano had the rare talent of being able to imitate the manner of
every master so successfully as frequently to deceive the best judges;
he could do this also without looking at the originals, the result of a
wonderful memory, which retained everything once seen. There are
numerous instances of pictures painted by him in the style of Albert
Durer, Bassano, Titian, and Rubens, which are valued in commerce at two
or three times the price of pictures in his own style. In the church of
S. Teresa at Naples, are two pictures by him in the style of Guido, and
there is a Holy Family at Madrid, which Mengs says may be easily
mistaken for a production of Raffaelle. Giordano also had several
scholars, who imitated his own style with great precision.

GIORDANO'S FAME AND REPUTATION.

Perhaps no artist ever enjoyed a greater share of contemporary fame than
Luca Giordano. Possessed of inexhaustible invention, and marvellous
facility of hand, which enabled him to multiply his works to any
required amount he had the good fortune to hit upon a style which
pleased, though it still farther corrupted the declining taste of the
age. He despatched a large picture in the presence of Cosmo III., Grand
Duke of Florence, in so short a space of time as caused him to exclaim
in wonder, "You are fit to be the painter of a sovereign prince." The
same eulogium, under similar circumstances, was passed upon him by
Charles II. A similar feat at Naples, had previously won the admiration
and approbation of the Viceroy, the Marquess de Heliche, and laid the
foundation of his fortune. It became _the fashion_, to admire everything
that came from his prolific pencil, at Madrid, as well as at Naples.
Everywhere, his works, good or bad, were receiv