Marie Duplessis (born Alphonsine Rose Plessis; 15 January 1824 – 3 February 1847) was a French

courtesan Courtesan, in modern usage, is a euphemism for a "kept" mistress (lover), mistress or prostitute, particularly one with wealthy, powerful, or influential clients. The term historically referred to a courtier, a person who attended the Royal cour ...

and

mistress Mistress is the feminine form of the English word "master" (''master'' + ''-ess'') and may refer to: Romance and relationships * Mistress (lover), a term for a woman who is in a sexual and romantic relationship with a man who is married to a d ...

to a number of prominent and wealthy men. She was the inspiration for Marguerite Gautier, the main character of the 1848 novel ''

La Dame aux Camélias LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...

'' by Alexandre Dumas the younger, one of Duplessis' lovers. Much of what is known about her has been derived from the

literary persona A persona (plural personae or personas), depending on the context, is the public image of one's personality, the social role that one adopts, or simply a fictional character. The word derives from Latin, where it originally referred to a theatr ...

and contemporary legends.

Early life

Marie Duplessis was born Alphonsine Rose Plessis in 1824 to Marin Plessis and Marie Plessis (née Deshayes) at Nonant-le-Pin, Normandy, France. At the age of 15, she moved to Paris, where she found work in a dress shop. As recorded in art of the day Marie Duplessis was evidently an extremely attractive young woman, with a petite figure and an enchanting smile. By the time she was 16, she had become aware that prominent men were willing to give her money in exchange for her company in both private and social settings. She became a

and learned to read and write, and to stay abreast of world events so as to be able to converse on these topics with her clients and at social functions. She also added the faux noble "Du" to her name.

Life as a courtesan

Duplessis was both a popular courtesan and the hostess of a

salon Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments * French term for a drawing room, an architectural space in a home * Salon (gathering), a meeting for learning or enjoyment Arts and entertainment * Salon (P ...

, where politicians, writers, and artists gathered for stimulating conversation and socializing. She rode in the

Bois de Boulogne The Bois de Boulogne (, "Boulogne woodland") is a large public park located along the western edge of the 16th arrondissement of Paris, near the suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt and Neuilly-sur-Seine. The land was ceded to the city of Paris by t ...

and attended

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...

performances. She also had her portrait painted by

Édouard Viénot Édouard Viénot was a successful society portrait painter with a studio at 92 rue de la Victoire, Paris. He was born in Fontainebleau on 13 September 1804. He entered the École des Beaux Arts in Paris on 4 October 1822. Viénot is probably to ...

. Duplessis was the mistress of

Alexandre Dumas fils Alexandre Dumas (; 27 July 1824 – 27 November 1895) was a French author and playwright, best known for the romantic novel ''La Dame aux Camélias'' (''The Lady of the Camellias''), published in 1848, which was adapted into Giuseppe Verdi's ...

from September 1844 to August 1845. Afterward, she is believed to have become the mistress of composer

Franz Liszt Franz Liszt, in modern usage ''Liszt Ferenc'' . Liszt's Hungarian passport spelled his given name as "Ferencz". An orthographic reform of the Hungarian language in 1922 (which was 36 years after Liszt's death) changed the letter "cz" to simpl ...

, who reportedly wished to live with her. In her short life, she gained a reputation as a discreet, intelligent, and witty lover. She remained in the good graces of many of her benefactors even after her relationships with them had ended. She was briefly married to at least one of her lovers: Count Édouard de Perregaux, a French nobleman.

Death

Marie Duplessis died of

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...

at the age of 23 on 3 February 1847. Her husband, the Comte de Perregaux, and her former lover, the

Baltic-German Baltic Germans (german: Deutsch-Balten or , later ) were Germans, ethnic German inhabitants of the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea, in what today are Estonia and Latvia. Since their coerced resettlement in 1939, Baltic Germans have markedly ...

count Gustav Ernst von Stackelberg, were by her side. Within a few weeks of her death, her belongings were auctioned off to pay her debts. Her funeral in

Montmartre Cemetery The Cemetery of Montmartre (french: link=no, Cimetière de Montmartre) is a cemetery in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, France, that dates to the early 19th century. Officially known as the Cimetière du Nord, it is the third largest necropolis ...

in Paris was attended by hundreds of people.

Novel, play, and opera

Dumas' 1848 romantic novel ''

'' was based on Duplessis. It appeared within a year of her death. In the book, Dumas became Armand Duval, and Duplessis became Marguerite Gautier. Dumas also adapted his story as a 1852 play, which inspired

Giuseppe Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto to a provincial family of moderate means, receiving a musical education with the h ...

's 1853 opera ''

La traviata ''La traviata'' (; ''The Fallen Woman'') is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on ''La Dame aux camélias'' (1852), a play by Alexandre Dumas ''fils'' adapted from his own 18 ...

'' and various films. The journalist Romain Vienne was a childhood friend of hers and wrote ''La Vérité sur la dame aux camélias'' to correct some of the fictions that had grown up around her.Royal Opera House Programme note to ''Traviata'', 2019, p12 by Prof Rene Weis

References

Biographical Studies
''Daughter of Paris: The Diary of Marie Duplessis, France's Most Celebrated Courtesan,'' A. G. Mogan, 2019, The Question Mark Publishing
# ''The Real Traviata: The Song of Marie Duplessis'' by René Weis
''La verite sur la dame aux camelias'' by Romain Vienne
Citations {{DEFAULTSORT:Duplessis, Marie 19th-century deaths from tuberculosis 1824 births 1847 deaths Courtesans from Paris People from Orne Burials at Montmartre Cemetery Tuberculosis deaths in France French people of Norman descent French salon-holders