A Neapolitan Bloom: The Life and Art of Francesco Lavagna Francesco Lavagna, a name whispered among connoisseurs of 18th-century Italian painting, remains an elusive figure despite the enduring beauty of his floral still lifes. Born in Naples around 1684 and passing away circa 1724, Lavagna’s life is shrouded in mystery, documented more through the surviving canvases than biographical accounts. What we do know paints a picture of a gi…