He was considered shameless at home, but abroad, all the exhibitions of the painter’s works were sold out, and rich gentlemen laid out round sums for his canvases.
What is the limits of decency in art? Most often, under this term, some familiar canons are hidden, the violation of which is undesirable. You can be considered shameless both for the original style of writing and for plots for which society is not yet ready. Our hero, it would seem, did not invent anything new, but was known as a bully.
Childhood
May 1851 in Spain, Granada was marked by a wonderful event - the Duke of Labransano became a father. The family boasted of their nobility, although financially, these aristocrats were not the first people of the city. The heir to the famous surname named Luis Ricardo was baptized.
The Spanish city of Granada, where Luis Falero was born
Since the heir did not shine with wealth or vast land allotments, there was a hope that he himself would contribute to the glorification of his ancient family. From an early age, Luis was taught that he would become a military man, rise to the rank of general or admiral, and perform many feats. In order for the child to receive a comprehensive education, he was sent to school in Richmond, and in 1860 he was transferred to study in Paris. There, the student was interested in drawing, but preferred not to share with his elders the dream of a creative profession.
Youth
As soon as the time came, daddy returned the teenager to Spain and passed it from hand to hand to the mentors of the Naval Academy. In a parting word, he praised the benefits of a career in the navy and urged not to disgrace the memory of great ancestors. During the holidays of 1867, a family friend, lawyer Joaquin Maria de Pas-i-Casanovas brought a cadet to the capital. The main purpose of the tour was a visit to the Prado Museum.
Exposition of the Prado Museum in Madrid
The next visit of the future officer home turned into a scandal. Luis Ricardo said he was leaving the school that his parents had chosen. He intends to connect his life with science, and not with military affairs. The head of the family said that henceforth the son can count only on himself, he won’t get a penny, letters of recommendation either. This did not scare the young man. Independent life for him began with a trip to Paris on foot without a penny in his pocket.
Search
In the capital of France, the rebel began to study chemistry and mechanics. In his free time, he drew and read books on astronomy. The profession, which he chose for himself, turned out to be no better than the maritime service - a large number of life-threatening experiments, exhausting work in laboratories and factories. Someone else would have become discouraged, considering himself a coward who is not capable of realizing himself in a truly masculine affair, but our hero was not like that.
Luis Falero had already done a courageous act, running away from home, now he was facing another decisive step - to change his place of study. Gabriel Ferrier became the mentor of the beginning artist. This famous painter traveled a lot and was in love with mythological subjects. Although the main income he had from painting portraits of the French political elite, he glorified his paintings on antique and biblical themes.
Judith. Artist Gabriel Ferrier
At the beginning of the journey
Among the first works of Falero were illustrations to the works of astronomer Camille Nicolas Flamarion. The first book, designed by Louis, was published in 1880. The artist not only performed the tasks of the scientist, but also learned a lot. Later, the theme of the starry sky will find new interpretations on the paintings of Falero. Only such interesting tasks for our hero did not always come across; he earned a living by performing portraits with a pencil.
Libra of the zodiac. Artist Luis Falero
Presented to the public his own style Falero in Paris. He presented to the audience the canvases on which the characters of myths were depicted - lovely naked women. The plot allowed to demonstrate nude figures, but the heroines were too far from the classical interpretation. The painter did not give names to his paintings in advance, he invented them together with gallery owners.
Popularity
The capital of France was famous for its free morals, because the impudent Spaniard fell in love with the French. Since 1879, Falero took part in the exhibitions of the Paris Salon. At home, his work was not accepted. There were strong positions of the church, which condemned frivolous images. This did not bother the artist, who had a strained relationship with his family.
Fairy of Lilies (1888). Artist Luis Falero
In the biography of the author of frivolous paintings, a sharp turn could happen after a meeting with Alice Gerrfeld. The girl’s father himself painted and sold paintings and gave his daughter to Luis Falero for training. The love affair was passionate, but fleeting. A passionate student left her mentor for the sake of opera singer Alexander Klein. After that, Luis Ricardo decided to leave France.
