Elena Recco

This recently rediscovered pair of monumental still lives was painted by Elena Recco, daughter and pupil of the most celebrated Neapolitan still-life painter of his day, Giuseppe Recco (1634–1695). Like her father, Elena excelled in the depiction of complex arrangements of fish and crustaceans. A small number of flower paintings are said to have been recorded in the inventories of the Buen Retiro Palace in Madrid, where she followed her father in 1695.¹

The present works are characteristic well-preserved examples of Elena's painterly style and important additions to her growing œuvre. Her fluid and gestural brushmarks allow for the depiction of a dazzling range of surfaces and materials and exemplify her skill in painting light and textures. Moreover, Recco's in-depth knowledge of the many creatures featured in her compositions reflects her Neapolitan milieu.

It is no surprise that many of her works are often confused with those of her father, owing not only to the many parallels between their art but also a lack of scholarly attention. The relatively recent resurgence of interest in women artists has enabled Elena Recco to be recognised as an important figure in the development of Neapolitan still-life painting.

In the 17^th century, the opportunities for women to become skilled professionals were rare. Elena Recco belongs to a small group of women artists who were able to circumvent existing limitations and become painters. As was the case for artists such as Catharina van Hemessen (1528–after 1587), Lavinia Fontana (1552–1614) and Artemisia Gentileschi (1593–1653), Elena’s father’s profession allowed her to bypass restrictions that she would otherwise have encountered.

¹ N. Spinosa, 'Elena Recco', in La natura morta in Italia, F. Zeri (ed.), Milan 1989, vol. II, p. 912.