Luigi Primo

Luis Primo (c. 1605-1667) was a Flemish painter of the Baroque period, active mainly in Rome, painting portraits and altarpieces [Gash J. page 55] .

Primo was born at Brussels, and went when young to Rome, where he spent thirty years. He was also nicknamed Luigi Gentile on account of his gentle manners. He was apprenticed to Gillis Claeissins the younger in Brussels in 1617 but left the southern Netherlands while still young. According to Sandrart, he continued his studies in Paris and was in Rome as early as 1626, when he was received into the Schildersbent, the association of northern (Dutch and Flemish) painters in Rome, under the "Gentile". In 1635 he joined the confraternity of San Giuliano dei Belgi, as Ludovicus Cousin, alias Primo, alias Gentile". [From Answers.com]

In 1650, he was inducted into the Academy of Saint Luke. He was employed by pope Alexander VII, and painted his portrait. He also painted a "St. Anthony" for the church of San Marco, and a "Nativity" and a "St. Stephen" for the church of the Cappuccini at Pesaro, and a "Crucifixion", in the church of St. Michael at Ghent. He died at Rome. He produced 27 small devotional paintings on copper backing (with elaborate frames by Francesco Perone) for Innocent X between 1646-1652. These paintings were likely used as gifts [ Gash, John, pages 55-56.] .

One of his pupils was John Van Cleef.

References

*cite book| first=Michael| last=Bryan| year=1889| title="Dictionary of Painters and Engravers, Biographical and Critical" (Volume II L-Z)| editor = Walter Armstrong & Robert Edmund Graves| pages= pages 322-323| publisher=George Bell and Sons|location=York St. #4, Covent Garden, London; Original from Fogg Library, Digitized May 18, 2007 |id= |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=K2cCAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA1&dq=Michael+Bryan+Painters+Engravers#PPP7,M1| authorlink=
*Gash, John; Montagu, Jennifer. "Algardi, Gentile and Innocent X: A Rediscovered Painting and Its Frame". The Burlington Magazine (1980) pages 55-60.