LIVIO MEHUS (OUDENAARDE C. 1630-1691 FLORENCE)

Though born in Flanders, Lieven Mehus moved with his family to Milan around the age of ten, where he changed his first name to 'Livio'. A favorite of Prince Mattias de’ Medici, he collaborated with Pietro da Cortona on the decorations of the Palazzo Pitti in Florence in 1645 and, following trips to Genoa, Lucca, Piedmont and Lombardy, re-entered the Prince's service, assisting with the decoration of the Medici villa at Lappeggi. This painting is a striking example of Mehus' innovative and individual approach to painting, best characterized as a synthesis of the variant traditions he encountered in his travels.