Forgotten Artists II: Luis Ricardo Falero.

“Departure of the Witches”

“Departure of the Witches” (detail)

“Departure of the Witches” (detail)

“Departure of the Witches” (detail)

“Departure of the Witches” (detail)

“Departure of the Witches” (detail)

Luis Ricardo Falero’s “Departure of the Witches” (1878), is signed and dated but not titled: so it has a number of modern names. 

The life of this painter is really weird:  He was born in Granada (Spain) and originally pursued a career in the Spanish Navy, but gave it up to his parents' disappointment. He walked all the way to Paris, where he studied art, chemistry and mechanical engineering. 

The experiments that he had to conduct in the latter two were so dangerous, however, that he decided to focus on painting alone. After Paris, he studied in London, where he eventually settled. Falero had a particular interest in astronomy and incorporated celestial constellations into many of his works, such as "The Marriage of a Comet" and "Twin Stars".

 This, relatively small canvas (it´s not a mural, as it seems),  (145.5cm x 118.2cm [57 1/4 x 46 1/4 inches]) has appeared at auction twice this millennium: on 18 October 2000 and 28 October 2003. The most recent of these was as lot 85 at Sotheby’s New York sale of “19th Century European Art, including The Great 19th Century Ateliers: Ingres to Bouguereau”,  with an estimate of 100—150,000 USD. Believe it or not, the painting was never sold.

Maybe the most weird and underestimated painting in  Art History: a bit theatrical?. For sure, the same is valid for "The Last Judgement" by Michelangelo, but magnificent works, anyway.