#Courtesans 19th-Century Paris

[suetravelblog]

La Traviata Tbilisi State Opera Georgia

[efemmera-archive]

3 Lesbian Paintings by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (circa 1892-93)

"Paris. Late 19th and early 20th century. Quite a few affluent men led double lives: outwardly respectable by day, seekers of erotic titillation at brothels and café cabarets by night. Commercial wealth created by the French Empire bankrolled a sophisticated capital city, which could only be dreamed of elsewhere. But it was the women who brought this dreamworld to life... Young women earned very little money as dancers in the corps de ballet or as artist models. Hardship drove many to become sex workers and courtesans: an existence, for some, marked by destitution, substance abuse, and obscurity; for others, marked by success and acclaim. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901) immortalized many of these women in extraordinary drawings and paintings.  Much like the women he painted, Lautrec was always an outsider. Born into an aristocratic family, Lautrec inherited a congenital disease. After he broke both his legs as a teenager, he never properly healed, remaining a dwarf for the rest of his life. Already feeling different from those around him, he turned to the study of fine art and moved to Montmartre, the bohemian district in Paris. His highly productive life was spent largely among nightclub performers, sex workers, and hangers-on. He died at the age of thirty-six from complications of alcoholism and syphilis.... Like no other artist, his drawings openly reveal the secret life of sex workers, many of whom had intimate relationships with each another, finding some emotional comfort and stability in a profession that offered none at the time. He presents real life lesbian sex workers holding each other in bed, kissing, and embracing – in these paintings, it is clear they weren’t performing sex acts for the viewing pleasure of male clients. "

Source

[umichenginabroad]

Parents Weekend! (Week 10)

As soon as I landed on Sydney as my study abroad destination, my parents began planning their trip to visit. Traveling and intercultural experiences have always been a priority for my family, so the opportunity for me to spend a semester abroad was something we were all excited about. Even more exciting was the chance to show my parents and brother around my new home - something I had been looking forward to since the day I arrived. Having just over one full weekend with them before they continued their travels, I planned to hit all my favorite spots and walks. The Friday they landed I met them at their hotel in Randwick, a nearby suburb and the location of my university, and we went straight to Thaithae which has one of the most flavorful Massamun Chicken Curries I’ve ever had. From there, we took the bus to Coogee where I showed off my hostel accommodation, Coogee Bay Road, and most importantly, Coogee Beach! Needless to say, the fam was thrilled. The shining sun and calm ocean water were like paid actors in a film, ready to play their part and impress. The jellyfish, on the other hand, were like TV extras gone rogue – they just wanted their time in the spotlight. I had never seen many jellyfish at Coogee before, but they didn’t stop us from taking a dip and soaking in the sun. After a few hours, we embarked on the coastal walk to Bondi where we planned on eating dinner. The journey, though gnarly at times, is one I would recommend to all visitors, especially as the sun starts to set and the blue sky turns into a whole palette of colors ranging from pink to yellow. I’ve walked the path countless times and each trek I feel the need to take more pictures that never quite capture the beauty. After dinner, we made our way to Bondi beach where we treated ourselves to Anita Gelato, the best gelato in town (or, at least, the gelato with the longest line in town)! Don’t get me wrong, I’m a loyal customer to Gelato Messina (an Australian classic), but something about Anita’s just never disappoints. 

^^ Just another picture of the Coogee-Bondi walk!

Saturday was just as packed. We woke up early and made our way into the city where we had an opera show booked in none other than the Sydney Opera House!! This was my first time getting up close to Sydney’s most renowned landmark, so I was very excited to share the moment with my family. This was also my first time watching an opera! I’m not exactly sure what I was expecting, but I was sorely disappointed by the lack of monocles in the audience. That said, I was incredibly impressed with the production of La Traviata, a dramatic love story set in 19th century Paris in which a dying courtesan, Violetta, finds true love with a young nobleman and they flee to the countryside together only to be forced apart by the man’s father. Upon reconnection, she passed away. Though in a different language, the singing and performing was one-of-a-kind and the screens with a rolling translation to English made the show very accessible. I was also enamored by the view of the city and water from inside the Opera house despite the architecture being slightly less impressive on the inside compared to the beautiful exterior. 

^^ Pic with my Dad and brother!

^^ Pic with mom and brother!

The rest of the day was filled with a quick visit to the Museum of Sydney and a long walk through the city. Even without a concrete plan, I love walking around the city and finding my own little detours, foods to try, and adventures to embark on. We made our way down Pitt street and ended up in the bustling Chinatown full of restaurants and desserts.

On our last full day together, I was adamant that we take the ferry to Manly where we could chill on the beach all day and explore a different part of Sydney. I also just love the ferry ride which takes you down the Sydney Harbor and showcases all the coastal neighborhoods atop hills and cliffs along the water. In Manly, we walked over to Shelly beach which is actually known to be one of the best snorkeling spots in Sydney, but we sought it out for the calmer water. Catching the sunset ferry back proved harder to time than expected, but we came pretty darn close!

^^ Sydney Harbor during sunset as seen from the ferry.

Before their flight to Melbourne, my parents and I walked around the University of New South Wales campus in Randwick and then we went up to Paddington to see the Art and Design campus where I have my photography class. We also visited the Sydney Jewish Museum in Paddington which was very educational regarding the culture and history of Judaism in Sydney. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that the museum constantly hosts students on class field trips as we were met with hundreds of students on tours making their way through the exhibits. I highly recommend this museum to anyone in the area!

Showing my family around my favorite and most frequented spots in Sydney was extremely rewarding and made me so happy throughout the weekend. I would never have made it out here without my parents’ support and I am extremely grateful for everything they have done to get me to Sydney and ensure I enjoy my time here. Thank you, Mom and Dad!

David Bayer

Biomedical Engineering

University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia

[mermaidsirennikita]

After reading Diana Biller and Adriana Herrera’s, I’m loving with later-19th century historicals on The Continent. Do you have any other favorites in this same vein?

Those two are suuuuch good writers. Unfortunately, I don't have many of these because historicals tend to revolve around England, save for those American outliers :/.

A decent portion of The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley takes place in Paris--I'm pretty sure that this is where Beth sucks Ian's dick in a carriage. We love to see it.

The Courtesan Duchess by Joanna Shupe partially takes place in Venice, I believe--it's where she's pretending to be a courtesan to seduce her husband.

If you're open to another timeframe (medieval) For My Lady's Heart and Shadowheart by Laura Kinsale take place in--or really, Italian states as Italy didn't exist back then but I digress.

[hopefulkidshark]

MOULIN ROUGE! dir. Baz Luhrmann | 2001

Was Moulin Rouge filmed in Paris?

It is this end of the 19th century that Baz Luhrmann recreates in his film Moulin Rouge. Most of the film was shot in the studio, in Australia. But to write the script, the film maker carried out a lot of documentary research and immersed himself in the atmosphere of Montmartre.

Moulin Rouge!  is a 2001 jukebox musicalromantic drama film directed, produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. It follows an English poet, Christian, who falls in love with the star of the Moulin Rouge, cabaret actress and courtesan, Satine. 

Starring

Nicole Kidman

Ewan McGregor

John Leguizamo

Jim Broadbent

Richard Roxburgh

Moulin Rouge! - Wikipedia

Moulin Rouge!

The most famous cabaret in the world!

The Moulin Rouge was immortalized by Toulouse-Lautrec and was the cradle of the music hall with the famous Mistinguett. Since it opened in 1889, it has dazzled the whole world. Edith Piaf, Liza Minnelli, Frank Sinatra and Elton John … numerous French and international personalities have over the years become enamoured of this legendary cabaret!

The room is magnificently decorated in belle époque style and red velvet, with typical burlesque frescoes. A wonderful place to enjoy gourmet French food by by the Chef David le Quellec, served with champagne - the official drink of the cabaret. All your senses are awakened as you enjoy your food and watch the show!

Admire a troupe of 60 artists from all over the world who perform twice each evening in the revue 'Féerie', a show made up of four breathtaking acts: feathers, rhinestones, sequins, sparkling decor, acrobats, original music, international attractions ... not forgetting the famous fast-paced French Cancan.

An iconic place, flamboyant colour, talented artists, renowned craftsmen, a high-quality team, original stage productions ... The Moulin Rouge is all that, and more!

Come and spend an evening at the Moulin Rouge - with family, friends ... or lovers - and discover the show "Féerie". Being dazzled by the artists is synonymous with an “enchanted interlude" ... in brief; a magical and unforgettable moment! Correct clothing required. Jacket and tie appreciated. Shorts, bermudas, sports clothes and shoes, flip-flops are not allowed.

Moulin Rouge • Paris je t'aime - Tourist office (parisjetaime.com)

MOULIN ROUGE! dir. Baz Luhrmann | 2001

[valkyries-things]

SARAH BERNHARDT // ACTRESS

“She was the greatest French actress of the late 19th century and still one of the best-known figures in the history of theatre. She is known as ‘The Divine Sarah’. The illegitimate daughter of a Dutch courtesan and unknown father who rose to unrivalled international fame. Her voice was said to be remarkable in its beauty. She appeared throughout Europe, the US and Canada. She played several 'trouser' parts, including Hamlet in Paris and London in 1899. In 1915 her right leg was amputated following a stage accident. She continued on visiting soldiers at the front during the First World War, carried in a chair.”

[vickersmarques]

The Best Kept Courtesan in 19th Century Paris

[fkkpointbruchsal]

Maisons close

Transports you to the clandestine world of 19th-century Parisian brothels, where secrets, desires, and power collide. Set against the backdrop of exquisite period detail, this riveting drama delves into the lives of the women who inhabit these forbidden spaces. From the enigmatic Madame to the captivating courtesans, each character navigates a complex web of ambition, survival, and passion. With its rich storytelling and compelling characters, "Maisons Close" offers a provocative exploration of societal norms and human nature, inviting viewers to peer behind the velvet curtains of Paris' most notorious establishments.

[fishsasea]

˗ˏˋ The Courtesan — 1887 ´ˎ˗

During his stay in Paris, Van Gogh encountered various artistic styles, including Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints. These prints did not become available in the West until the mid-19th century. Van Gogh collected the works of Japanese ukiyo-e masters such as Hiroshige and Hokusai, and argued that these works were as important as those of European artists such as Rubens and Rembrandt. Fan He Van Gogh took inspiration to create this particular painting from a reproduction of an engraving by Eisen Keisai, published in May 1886 on the cover of Illustre magazine in Paris. 

Source: https://www.theartstory.org/artist/van-gogh-vincent/

[elegomez]

some articles I'm skimming to revisit

https://brill.com/display/book/9789004346253/BP000009.xml?language=en

https://www.jstor.org/stable/26851834

https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-sordid-truth-degass-ballet-dancers

And my favorite book that I would like to read through entirely: Ballerina: Sex, Scandal, and Suffering Behind the Symbol of Perfection, by Deirdre Kelley

So far, my impression of ballet historians is that they are all idiots who don't contextualize the fact that just because ballet is old fashioned to THEM does not mean that women in outfits that hugged the skin, dancing with movements that kicked up the legs, might have been a little sexually provocative in an era where skirts above the ankle were scandalous.

Related, thank you to this author: https://jane-davis.co.uk/2014/04/06/the-seduction-of-ballet-jane-davis-on-one-of-the-themes-of-an-unchoreographed-life/

[cptnpoldark]

so i got this discount on a crate of fancy wines and one of them is a sparkling rose and let me tell you -- sitting here with the bottle, sipping it out of a champagne glass has me feeling like the classiest bitch on the planet.

[biscuitsarenice]

Lucy Worsley's Nights at the Opera 

Scratches made by 19th Century courtesans on mirrors in Lapérouse Restaurant, Paris.

[lahilden]

Château de la Motte Husson

Château de la Motte Husson is located in the town of Martigne-sur-Mayenne, France. It was built upon a Viking stronghold in the Motte-and-Bailey style and rebuilt in an enclosure of a square moat in 1600. The castle was altered in the 18th and 19th centuries to the Renaissance-style. The chateau underwent many changes throughout its history. Much of the new building was completed in 1821 by the Deschamps family, who turned the castle into a five-story summer home with 45 rooms. When he passed, the castle was purchased by Pere Noel, who owned brothels in Paris and the local area. To give the courtesans a vacation, he opened the castle for their use, but it also served as a headquarters for the French Resistance. During the Resistance, the castle held a cache of arms. In 2014, the Strawbridge family purchased the castle and renovated the home, adding electricity and heating. They opened it for weddings and events. The castle’s transformation can be seen in the Escape to the Chateau series. Château de la Motte Husson sits on 12 acres of land with a moat, a walled garden, a private forest, and seven outbuildings, including an orangery. 

[thephantomessoftheopera]

Notes on Gaston Leroux’s “The Phantom of the Opera” - Chapter 9: “The Mysterious Brougham”

<< Previous chapter Now, we come to the events that happened during Christine’s first stay with Erik. She disappears after the cursed „Faust“ performance and the chandelier crash.  After she has not been seen for nearly 2 weeks, Raoul grows rather preoccupied about her whereabouts. Even though he knows that she had decided to break contact with him, he still wonders about her motivation for this. He tries to speak to the managers to find out more about Christine‘s fate, but their minds are entirely occupied with the liabilities caused by the chandelier accident. All they can tell him is that Christine has requested an indefinite leave for health reasons.

Raoul finally decides to seek out Mama Valérius, Christine’s foster mother. After her return from Perros she had sent a letter to Raoul asking him to stay away from her for the sake of both their lives, but Raoul obviously won’t be deterred so easily. He doesn’t believe in any supernatural happenings and therefore concludes that Christine must have fallen victim to an impostor. Raoul’s suspicions are quickly confirmed when Mama Valérius - who is currently ill and lying in bed - tells him that Christine is with the “Angel of Music”, and in his mind he’s already connecting this to the whole opera ghost affair. Raoul’s mind, despite a certain taste for music, poetry and fantastic tales, is very deeply rooted in reality, therefore he does not believe in the supernatural, concluding that someone human must be behind the whole „Angel of Music“ affair.

Mama Valerius tells Raoul that Christine is fond of him, but laughs at him having declared his love for her. He is shocked and angry to learn then from her that Christine is not „free“ and will never marry because if she does, she will lose her Angel of Music and never hear him again - apparently, the thought of him leaving her is terrible enough for her to resolve that she cannot marry at all.

We also learn that Erik has been giving Christine lessons in her dressing room at 8 o’clock in the morning for about 3 months, so for a rather short time really - it’s nothing that has been going on for years as implied in other adaptations, and certainly nothing that dates back to her childhood. Considering that it is now early to mid-February, this means that Christine and Erik first met at the beginning of November of the preceding year. Under Erik‘s tutelage, she obviously progressed rapidly, considering her lessons started about 2 months prior to her first triumph at the gala performance in January. The lessons took place early in the morning when the Opera House was still empty, so Erik and Christine wouldn‘t be disturbed.

Despite Raoul’s initial impression of Christine as a victim, he feels compelled to ask the rather impertinent question of whether she is still an “honourable girl”. Even though Mama Valerius confirms that she is still „pure“, he is angry at her, thinking that she is „cheating“ on him with some insipid tenor at the Opera. When he gets home, lovesick Raoul cries his eyes out in the arms of his brother Philippe. His doubts of Christine’s virtue are still further pushed when he hears from Philippe that she has been seen going on carriage rides with a mysterious man to the Bois de Boulogne, Paris’ biggest city park. At that time, the Bois de Boulogne was very popular with the nobility and also with people seeking privacy, so it’s not hard to guess where Raoul’s thoughts went.

His brother invites him to dinner to get his mind off Christine, but Raoul leaves early and decides to go to the Bois de Boulogne himself, in the hopes of meeting Christine there. When a luxurious brougham carriage slowly advances towards him, he is sure that Christine is inside, and tries to ambush the carriage in order to confront the Angel of Music. But when he calls her name, the horses break into a gallop, and speed past him.

Image of a brougham carriage from https://blog.sciencemuseum.org.uk/brougham-brougham/. The brougham was a lightweight, elegant carriage which offered a cosy, intimate space for two passengers sitting next to each other.

Raoul despairs because he thinks that Christine does not love him and prefers to spend time with her mysterious lover instead. In his fit of jealousy, he is no longer thinking of Christine as a victim, but as a woman with the “soul of a courtesan” who has been deceiving him in the most spiteful way (well, at least he is polite enough to use the word “courtesan” instead of straight-up calling her “Erik’s whore”). The Paris courtesans were frequently seen in the Bois de Boulogne. As “society girls” and pretty playthings of the nobility, they lead rather luxurious lives, entertaining affairs with the high and mighty of Parisian society.

A peasant-girl-turned-opera-diva would possibly make a fine courtesan, but she would normally be absolutely no marriage material for a nobleman like Raoul. The only way for Raoul to even consider marrying Christine is if she conforms to his ideal of chastity and purity, but absolutely not if there are any doubts concerning her virtue. Raoul’s perception of her oscillates only between “madonna” and “whore” - but things are in fact not black and white here.

But then, a letter arrives from Christine, asking him to meet her at the masked ball the night after tomorrow...

Image and more information on the Bois de Boulogne in the 19th century: https://victorianparis.wordpress.com/tag/bois-de-boulogne/

Next chapter >>

[whattoreadnext]

I, Cladius

Robert Graves, I, Claudius

(the fourth Roman Emperor's 'memoirs' of his bloodthirsty forebears)

Ancient Rome

Peter Vansittart, Three Six Seven  (twilight of Roman Britain, late 4th century)

John Arden, Silence Among the Weapons  ("memoirs" of actor"s agent mixed up with Roman dictator Sulla in 1st century BC)

Thornton Wilder, The Ides of March

Anthony Burgess, The Kingdom of the Wicked  (Luke, Paul,and other early Christian missionaries)

"Memoirs"

Joseph Heller, God Knows  ("memoirs" of Old Testament King David)

Mary Renault, The King Must Die  ("memoirs" of King Theseus of Athens)

Gore Vidal, Creation  ("memoirs" of Persian diplomat who knew Socrates, Buddha and Confucius)

Stephen Marlowe, The Memoirs of Christopher Columbus  (early disappointments and ironic triumph of unscrupulous adventurer-explorer)

Marguerite Yourcenar, Memoirs of Hadrian  (reflections of 14th Roman Emperor and philosopher)

Carlos Fuentes, Terra Nostra  ("memoirs" of Philip II of Spain, in deranged old age)

Augusto Roa Bastos, I, The Supreme  ("memoirs" of Francia, 19th-century dictator of Paraguay)

Gabriel Garcia Marquez, The Autumn of the Patriarch  (deathbed monologue of fanatical, deranged South American dictator)

People of the Past (powerful historical novels)

Mario Vargas Llosa, The War of the End of the World  (19th-century South American religious community, communist, waiting for the Apocalypse)

William Golding, The Spire

Helen Waddell, Peter Abelard  (12-th century Paris: a monk falls in love with beautiful pupil)

Barry Unsworth, Sacred Hunger

Nicholas Monsarrat, Running Proud  (one of Columbus" sailors shipwrecked in New World, is taken for a God)

The Ancient World

Mary Renault, The Mask of Apollo  ("memoirs" of actor-spy in 4th-century BC Greece)

Peter Green, Alcibiades His Armour  (Alcibiades, the Oscar Wilde of ancient Athens)

Norman Mailer, Ancient Evenings  (memories of chief minister of warrior-pharaih Rameses II)

Joan Grant, Winged Pharaoh  (Grant describes her own previous existence in ancient Egypt)

Henry Treece, Medea  (powerful evocation of myth-witch, scorned wife who murdered her children)

Hilda Doolittle (H.D.), Hedylus  (Samos, 3rd century BC: ex-courtesan, lover and poet-son meditate delicately on life, love, the arts and politics)

[steliosagapitos]

          The humble English girl who became a courtesan "Cora Pearl" for the French empire.

Colourful photograph of the famous British courtesan Cora Pearl.        Cora Pearl showed up naked at Parisian dinners in the mid-1800s. Her shocking behaviour to society as a sought-after courtesan became a symbol of the decay of the Second French Empire. But the beauty of the "demi-monde" [comp. of demi "mezzo1" and monde "world, worldly society"]. - With reference to the sec. 19 °, the equivocal society of which women of the lower class belong, whose easy morals arouse scandal in right-thinking and upper-class circles where their ruthlessness leads them to live.] Actually descended from humble English origins. Cora Pearl, born Emma Elizabeth Crouch in Portsmouth, England, probably around 1835, although in her memoirs she took seven years off her age, claiming a year of birth in 1842. Her father, Frederick Nicholas Crouch, was a songwriter of some repute, who abandoned his family and moved to the United States. He would marry several times and were rumoured to have 20 children. Emma's mother, meanwhile, began a relationship with a man Emma didn't get along with. She and her brothers were sent to a French boarding school, where she learned the language and manners of the country. After school, she moved with her grandmother to London and found work as a milliner's assistant, which bored her.     In a perhaps apocryphal story, young Emma was exploited by a random man she met after her job, an event that led her to the "road" of her life. In this story, she Emma had left the lab expecting to find a mate. Instead, she met a man who offered to buy her cakes. The man took her to a "gin palace" where he filled her with drinks and seduced her, leaving her a £ 5 note on a bedside table which he discovered the next morning. While history seems unlikely to us, it was not impossible in 19th century London. It's also possible that Emma's mother's boyfriend behaved very inappropriately with the little girl. Regardless, it was a turning point for Emma. She felt she could not go back to her grandmother's house.She took a room in Covent Garden where she began entertaining gentlemen, one of whom, Robert Bignell, was the owner of a notorious brothel called Argyll Rooms. She moved to Argyll and travelled several times with Bignell to Paris. She fell in love with the City of Light, decided to stay there and changed her name to Cora Pearl. In the mid-19th century Paris was the centre of the cultural world, a cauldron of emerging poets, artists, musicians and assorted bon vivants. As a courtesan, Cora Pearl was a new sensation who excited her clients with her tiny waist and generous breasts. She was fiery, exuberant, not embarrassed to express passion.       She had a series of "protectors", as they were called, starting with Victor Massena, Duke of Rivoli. She showered her with money and gifts, bought her her first horse and financed her trips to gambling dens. Her many influential lovers included the Prince of Orange, the heir to the throne of the Netherlands; the half-brother of Napoleon III, the Duke de Morny; and his cousin Napoleon Joseph Charles Paul, sometimes known as Prince Jerome Napoleon, with whom he has had his longest (and most profitable) relationship. Cora Pearl and Prince Achille Murat (1865). photograph by Louis-Jean Delton. Cora became famous for her affinity for horses. She at one point she owned up to 60 her, along with a fleet of carriages. She is said to have inspired the fashion for courtesans to ride a carriage in the Bois de Boulogne. At the peak of her popularity, she had two residences in Paris and a chateau in the countryside.      Cora Pearl became one of the most famous Parisian courtesans of her era, known for her outrageously sexy demeanour. She danced in her birthday dress in front of the guests or bathed in champagne. She served outrageously extravagant meals, during one of which she would show up naked on a silver platter. Her haute couture dresses and sumptuous lingerie were made by the best tailors in the country. She wore the finest jewellery and expensive perfume. She loved to gamble. She also made a brief foray into the theatre, wearing little more than strategically placed diamonds, but her efforts were not serious and were not praised. The end of an era was approaching. The Franco-Prussian War put a stop to frivolous parties.      Cora briefly returned to England with Prince Jerome Napoleon, but she was turned away from the Grosvenor Hotel, given her reputation. When she returned to Paris, she found that conservative austerity had taken over the once effervescent city. Her extravagance of hers was now seen as clumsy and she had fewer wealthy people to pay her bills. A wealthy but irregular young man 10 years her junior, Alexandre Duval, became obsessed with Cora Pearl. She put up with him for a while, needing her money, but when he got too wild, she dumped him. On December 19, 1872, Duval went to her home, believed to be her, with the intention of killing her. The gun he had brought with him accidentally discharged, nearly fatally wounding him; initially close to death, he eventually recovered, although the aftermath of the event proved disastrous for Cora's reputation. Billed as the Duval affair, the scandal prompted authorities to order Cora to leave the country, leading to her expulsion from Paris first to London and then to Monaco and Nice. The contents of his Parisian home were then sold. Either way, Duval fully recovered, but Cora Pearl's already fragile reputation was shattered.      By the time she reached her 40th birthday, her fortunes had plummeted. Prince Jerome Napoleon, who had paid her bills, left her. In the following decade, he gradually sold goods: houses, horses, jewels. In 1885 she had nothing left and she lived in a boarding house. Cora Pearl had literally come to the end of her life. She published her memoir in 1886, but as he masked the names of his patrons and downplayed his vulgar exploits, he was deemed boring and quickly disappeared. Soon after her memoirs were published, Cora fell seriously ill with intestinal cancer. She died on July 8, 1886 with some obituaries appearing in London and Paris newspapers. She was only 51 years old. One of her former lovers anonymously covered the cost of his funeral and her burial. She was buried in the Batignolles cemetery in Paris (track number 10, line 4), in a tomb rented for five years. After those five years, what was left of her body was moved to an ossuary and her grave was reused.