Stacia Napierkowska (born Renée Claire Angèle Élisabeth Napierkowski, 16 September 1891 – 11 May 1945) was a French actress, dancer, and director who worked during the silent film era. She appeared in 86 films between 1908 and 1926.
Biography
She was born Renée Claire Angèle Élisabeth Napierkowski in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
to a
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent
* Polish chicken
*Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...
father, Stanisław Artur Napierkowski, and a French mother.
Napierkowska began her career with the
Folies Bergère
The Folies Bergère () is a cabaret music hall, located in Paris, France. Located at 32 Rue Richer in the 9th Arrondissement, the Folies Bergère was built as an opera house by the architect Plumeret. It opened on 2 May 1869 as the Folies Trév ...
, where she was noticed by the director of the
Opéra-Comique
The Opéra-Comique is a Paris opera company which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with – and for a time took the name of – its chief rival, the Comédie-Italienne ...
who engaged her to perform in the Fêtes Romaines organized at the Théâtre d’Orange. She then acted in early silent films, becoming a star while playing opposite the celebrated Max Linder.
In January 1913, she embarked for the United States to launch an international career: While sailing on the ocean liner Lorraine, she encountered the painter,
Francis Picabia
Francis Picabia (: born Francis-Marie Martinez de Picabia; 22January 1879 – 30November 1953) was a French avant-garde painter, poet and typographist. After experimenting with Impressionism and Pointillism, Picabia became associated with Cubism ...
, who went on to produce a series of paintings inspired by her. In
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, she was arrested during a dance performance when it was declared indecent. After returning to France, Napierkowska said, "Really, I have not brought away a single pleasant memory from the United States" and "What a narrow-minded people they are – how utterly impervious to any beautiful impression!"
In 1917, Napierkowska directed the short film ''L'Héritière de la manade''.
She died in Paris on 11 May 1945.
Selected filmography
*''
Notre-Dame de Paris
Notre-Dame de Paris (; meaning "Our Lady of Paris"), referred to simply as Notre-Dame, is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité (an island in the Seine River), in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. The cathedral, dedicated to the ...
'' (1911), playing Esmeralda
*''
Une nuit agitée'' (1912), costarring Max Linder
*''
Les Vampires
''Les Vampires'' is a 1915–16 French silent crime serial film written and directed by Louis Feuillade. Set in Paris, it stars Édouard Mathé, Musidora and Marcel Lévesque. The main characters are a journalist and his friend who become involv ...
'' (1915), playing Marfa Koutiloff
*''
L'Atlantide'' (1921), playing Reina Antinea
redited as Stacia Napierkorska
References
* Anne & Claire Berest, ''Gabriële'' (Paris: Stock, 2017); pps. 257–260.
Further reading
*
External links
*
Stacia Napierkowskafrom the
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...
at
Flickr
Flickr ( ; ) is an American image hosting and video hosting service, as well as an online community, founded in Canada and headquartered in the United States. It was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and was a popular way for amateur and professional ...
1890s births
1945 deaths
French stage actresses
French film actresses
French silent film actresses
French ballerinas
Actresses from Paris
20th-century French actresses
French people of Polish descent
Burials at Batignolles Cemetery
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