The Life and Art of Alfredo Helsby
Alfredo Helsby was a Chilean landscape painter of English ancestry. Born in Valparaíso, he began his artistic journey under the guidance of his teacher, Thomas Somerscales, who emphasized the importance of painting landscapes en plein aire. His formal training continued at the Academy of Painting in Santiago under Alfredo Valenzuela Puelma. In 1906, a grant from the Chilean government allowed him to travel to Europe, where he settled in Paris and studied under Jean Paul Laurens.
Helsby's life was marked by a deep interest in medical issues, stemming from a severe case of pneumonia he developed at age eight. This interest manifested in his advocacy for alternative medicine and his opposition to vaccination and animal experimentation. Throughout his career, he engaged in efforts to promote Chilean art, organizing exhibitions in Paris and London. His travels took him across South America, including Brazil and Argentina, and later to several cities in the United States, such as San Francisco, New Orleans, and Washington.
