FALARDEAU, Antony Sebastian, artist, born in St. Ambrose, near Quebec, Canada, 13 August 1822. He manifested from his childhood a strong love for art, but it met with no encouragement from his father, who took him from school when twelve years old and set him to work on a farm. When he was fourteen years old he ran away to Quebec, where he endured hardships of every kind, and was for several years a servant. He still continued to draw and paint during his hours of leisure, and after he had succeeded in obtaining employment as clerk in a mercantile house he was enabled to take lessons, and some of his pictures began to attract attention. He wished to continue his studies in Europe, so he sold his pictures for $160, and, with some hel1) from his patrons, set out for Montreal in the summer of 1846.

Lord Catheart, the governor general, received him kindly, and furnished him with a letter of recommendation that was afterward of great value to him. He finally reached Florence, and, after many disappointments, was admitted to the Academy of fine arts. During the Revolution of 1848 he refused to enter the civic guard of the fine arts, and was obliged to leave the academy, but reentered it after the battle of Novara. From this time he worked hard, but led a life of great poverty until 1850, when an American gentleman purchased some of his pictures. He then studied in the principal Italian cities, and in 1857, when he was in Parma, won a prize that had been offered for the best copy of the Saint Jerome of Correggio, exciting much enthusiasm by his work. He was chosen an honorary member of the Academy of the fine arts, and afterward presented the picture to the grand duke, which created him knight of the order of Saint Louis. After this he had orders for pictures from the empress dowager of Russia and other persons of rank. In April 1862, he visited Canada, where he was received with enthusiasm. His pictures are considered by art critics to be distinguished for finish and elegance rather than vigor.