Fallas / Valencia. 1936.

Artist: J. CANET CABELLON (1887-1951)
Size: 27 5/8 x 39 1/8 in./70 x 99.3 cm
Condition: B/ Slight tears at folds.
Printer: J. Avino, Valencia
Reference: Ref: España, 391
Key Words: Art Deco; Spain; Carnival

Fallas / Valencia. 1936.
The Falles is said to have begun in the Middle Ages as a celebration of the spring equinox; it evolved to be a commemoration of Saint Joseph, and today it is a massive annual affair in Valencia. The term falles refers to both the celebration and the monuments, which take the form of large-scale thematic paper-mâché sculptures. The event is a massive street party with historical, religious, and comedic processions; complex pyrotechnic displays; and revelers dressed in traditional dress. The culminating event is La Cremà, when all of the statues are burned in a massive bonfire—fire is said to be the symbol of the fiesta's spirit. For the 1936 edition, a glowing bat cries out to let the games begin. This would be the last Falles for several years, as the Spanish Civil War began later that year.