Tavella was born in
Milan, the son of Domenico Tavella, a Genoese merchant, Domenico. He was initially the pupil of the painter Giuseppe Merati, then later of a painter by the name of Johann Gruembroech or Greuenbrech, also called
il Solfarolo. Later in 1695, Tavella worked with the Dutch painter
Pieter Mulier II (Molyn), also known as
Cavaliere Tempesta or
il Tempesta. In the following years, Tavella worked as a landscape painter for
Alessandro Magnasco and
Domenico and Paolo Piola. He helped decorate Palazzo Franchi in
Genoa. Tavella had daughters by of the name of Teresa and
Angiola (who was herself a painter). Among his other pupils was Niccolò Micone, known locally as
Lo Zoppo. He died in Genoa in 1738. ==Sources==