Venus Observations and The Seduction of Venus will be featuring a number of harem girls over the next month or so, as a result of our recent visit to Istanbul. This particular specimen, by Spanish born but British based artist Luis Ricardo Falero (1851-1896), also qualifies as a redhead of the week!
Falero isn't a very well-known artist compared with the likes of Bougereau who also largely concentrated on nudes with a somewhat fantastical theme. Falero was born in Toledo and was in the Spanish navy, which he hated. So he upped and walked to Paris from Spain so he could study there, eventually settling in England and living in Hampstead.
Falero was very interested in astronomy and many of his paintings have a celestial theme. However, he also painted a number of "harem" pictures as part of the late nineteenth century fascination with the near east.
La Favorite is framed by Arab architectural elements. Her dazzling red hair and pale skin precludes her from being a local inhabitant of the harem so her favoured status is understandable.
We'll have some more Falero harem girls shortly.
