Spyridon Scarvelli was born on the island of Corfu where he had his first art lessons at the Corfu School of Art. He later continued his studies in Trieste and Rome.  

On his return to Corfu, he worked among other artists on the fresco decoration of the Achilleion, the summer residence of Elisabeth of Bavaria, also known as Sissy.  

For a period Scarvelli lived in Egypt where he painted a number of his works. 

Scarvelli worked mainly in watercolour, a medium in which he excelled. He was predominantly a landscape artist inspired by Corfu and Egypt. With his characteristic brushstroke, he created atmospheric works that explored light and colour variation, whilst emitting a poetic tone. 

His work is found in many public and private collections, notably: The National Gallery of Greece, the Athens Municipal Gallery, the Leventis Gallery, the Koutlides Collection, the Averoff Gallery, the Municipal Gallery of Corfu, the Municipal Gallery of Rhodes and the National Bank of Greece.