La favorite

Born into an aristocratic family, Falro was sent to study at Richmond College in London, at the early age of seven. There he studied English and the art of watercolour for two years before pursuing his schooling in Paris. Pressured by his parents to enter the Spanish naval army, Falro briefly returned to his native country to follow the career destined to him by his family. He quickly abandoned the army, and travelled back to Paris by foot so as to pursue his dream of becoming a painter. To sustain himself financially, Falro began to paint commissioned portraits, while concurrently studying painting. He earned great success in France painting images of female nudes, such as the present work which he painted, most probably, while in Paris in 1880.