The Mistress of Paris: The 19th-Century Courtesan Who Built an Empire on a Secret - Softcover

Catherine Hewitt

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1785780441 ISBN 13: 9781785780448

Publisher: Icon Books Ltd, 2016

Synopsis

Painted by Manet, immortalized by Emile Zola in Nana and a connoisseur and collector of the arts, the Comtesse Valtesse de la Bigne was one of the most celebrated courtesans of 19th-century Paris. Catherine Hewitt's biography tells the story of this remarkable woman's journey from poverty and obscurity to the wealth, glamour and scandal of Parisian high society.

About this title

About the Author:

Catherine Hewitt studied French Literature and Art History at Royal Holloway, University of London and the Courtauld Institute of Art. Her proposal for The Mistress of Paris was awarded the runner-up's prize in the 2012 Biographers' Club Tony Lothian Competition for the best proposal by an uncommissioned, first-time biographer. She lives in a village in Surrey.

Review:

`Through incisive enquiry and astute observation, Catherine Hewitt traces the courtesan's flight from squalor to splendour, her prose sparkling in the light of her luminous subject.' * The Biographer's Club prize * 'Innately fascinating' * All About History * 'An enthralling story, told with both conviction and sympathy' * The Observer * 'A handsome boudoir book' * Irish Examiner * '[Hewitt] offers an intriguing insight into the precarious glamour of life as a 19th-century courtesan' * The Daily Telegraph * 'Full of detail and astute observation, the book is a remarkable tale'. * France Magazine * 'Plenty of scandal that will have you curled up with this book for hours'. * Living France Magazine * 'Riveting.' * The Bookseller *

About this edition

• Publisher: Icon Books Ltd
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1785780441
• ISBN 13: 9781785780448
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 384