Caballero de París

The Gentleman of Paris—contrary to what his name suggests—was not a Parisian! José María López Lledín was an immigrant of Spanish origin who came to Cuba in 1913 where he was immortalized as the most iconic vagabond to walk the streets of Havana. The self-proclaimed intellectual spent his time wandering the city carrying books, newspapers, and sharing his life stories. José was something of a story himself, with his long coiled hair between gray and black and a conquistador beard that looked like Don Quixote in the flesh; straight out of the pages of Cervantes. Prior to his fame and noble title, El Caballero was a hotel worker with dreams of living a modest life.  A certain tragedy however shattered these aspirations: unjust imprisonment. During his six-year sentence, his mental sanity quickly deteriorated. When he was released after being found innocent, the iconic character of the Caballero de Paris emerged. Much like the musketeer stories of his childhood, José became a humble knight destined to walk the streets of Havana offering his knowledge and his stories to all who would lend him an ear. Of course his illusions had names—later in life, José was diagnosed with late–onset paraphrenia. To this day, he is remembered as a loving, kind person who still inspires art and music in honor of his memory.