Ludovico Brea facts for kids

This painting, called Pietà, was made by Ludovico Brea. It's now in the Musée du Louvre in Paris.

Ludovico Brea (born around 1450, died around 1523) was an Italian painter. He lived during the Renaissance period. Ludovico Brea mostly worked in and around the city of Genoa, Italy.

Brea was born in Nice, France. His family worked as coopers, making barrels. Later, he moved to a region in Italy called Liguria. There, he painted many altarpieces. These are large paintings placed behind church altars. His art showed influences from both the Lombardy region of Italy and from Flemish artists. One of his students was a painter named Teramo Piaggio.

Early Life and First Paintings

Ludovico Brea's first known painting was finished in 1475. It was called Mercy between Saint Martino and Catherine of Alexandria. He painted it for a monastery in Cimiez, near Nice. Some historians think he might have painted another work even earlier. This was the Madonna of the Confraternity of the Misericordia in Nice, possibly in 1465.

Where Ludovico Brea Worked

Ludovico Brea's paintings can be found in many places along the coast. These areas stretch from Monaco to Mentone. You can also find his art from Taggia to Imperia. In Imperia, you can see the influence of another painter, Vincenzo Foppa. During this time, Brea also worked for Pope Julius II.

He also painted in cities from Savona to Genoa. He started working in Genoa in 1483. He left some of his art at the Church of the Consolation there.

The Brea Family of Painters

Ludovico wasn't the only artist in his family. His brothers, Peter and Antonio Brea, were also painters in Liguria. Antonio's son, Francisco Brea, also became a painter. We know about Francisco's work between 1512 and 1555.

Famous Artworks by Ludovico Brea

Ludovico Brea created many important artworks. Here are some of his well-known pieces and where you can find them:

• Piety (1475) - Located at the Monastère de Cimiez.
• Crucifixion (1481) - You can see this at the Gallery of the White Palace in Genoa.
• Ascension (1483) - Found in the Galleria Durazzo Giustiniani.
• Madonna of Misericordia (also called Madonna of Mercy) (1483–84).
• Polyptych of San Caterina (1488) and Baptism of Christ (1495) - Both are at the Dominican church and convent in Taggia.
• Piety - This painting is in the Monaco Cathedral.
• Maestà - Located in the church of Arcs-Van.
• Altarpiece of Savona Cathedral (1490) - Ludovico Brea worked on this with Vincenzo Foppa.
• Altarpiece of Ognissanti (1512) - Found in San Maria di Castello, Genoa.
• Polyptych of San Giorgio (1516) - This artwork is in the church of Montalto.