BLANCHE D'ANTIGNY

Blanche d'Antigny (1840-1874)

She was the blonde French actress/courtesan who inspired Edouard Manet to paint “Nana” which, in turn, moved Emile Zola to write the book of the same name. One writer penned: she isn’t pretty, doesn’t act well, and sings badly-- her diamonds certainly perform better than she does. Her two careers remained intertwined: the courtesan lent glamour and power to the actress, and the actress played the rewarding part of the courtesan. The total of her lovers defied calculation. During the Siege of Paris in 1870, she opened her hotel to the French wounded and cared for them herself.

BLANCHE D'ANTIGNY

Blanche d'Antigny (1840-1874)

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