It has been celebrated in paintings, novels, movies, and even popular songs. It had also sent into the limelight hitherto little known performers of immense talent, transforming them into genuine circus stars; appearing in its ring was a recognition for any circus artist. This most Parisian of circuses was actually built by a Belgian circus entrepreneur. As legend has it, at age eleven Ferdinand "ran away and joined the circus"—in this case the Cirque Gauthiez, which was touring in Belgium.
There, as the story goes, Ferdinand trained with an acrobat and worked as a groom, learning the basics of horsemanship on the job. Ferdinand was twenty-two; Maria Theresia already had a son, Ludovicus Carolus Louis Charles , born in Bruges on July 26, , probably out of wedlock, whom Ferdinand adopted.
Louis-Charles the future Louis Fernando, was then six years old, just fifteen years younger than his new stepfather. During this time, Louis was being trained as an equestrian—against his will, it must be said.
While working for Dejean, Ferdinand acquired a stage name, Fernando , and most importantly, a good knowledge of the Parisian audience. He had had also ample opportunity to observe at close range how Dejean managed his circuses. The company included ten horses and five artists: Fernando and his stepson, Louis now twenty-one , the equestrian Philippe Bertoletti, the trapeze artist and equestrian Baptiste Gillardoni, and the English clown George Howard.
She was now the respectable Mrs. The previous month, however, the French government had given the green light to the construction French A temporary circus building, originally made of wood and canvas, and later, of steel elements supporting a canvas top and wooden wall. Also known as a "semi-construction. Consequently, the fair was moved down to the median walkway of the Boulevard de Rochechouart, on the southern edge of Montmartre. Luckily, Fernando found an empty lot at the corner of the Boulevard de Rochechouart and the Rue Lallier, and was able to lease it for the duration.
