Jeanne-Catherine de Maux (1725-?), better known as Mme de Maux (Madame de Maux), was a natural daughter of

Quinault-Dufresne Abraham-Alexis Quinault, called Quinault-Dufresne, (9 September 1693 in Verdun – 12 February 1767 in Paris) was a French actor. He was a member of the Quinault family of actors. He made his début at the Comédie-Française on 7 October 17 ...

. In 1737, aged twelve, she married a lawyer in Paris. She later became a lover of

Denis Diderot Denis Diderot (; ; 5 October 171331 July 1784) was a French philosopher, art critic, and writer, best known for serving as co-founder, chief editor, and contributor to the ''Encyclopédie'' along with Jean le Rond d'Alembert. He was a promine ...

's friend Damilaville. Some time after Damilaville's death, in 1768, she became the lover of Diderot, but later left him for a younger man.She is considered significant because many letters written by Diderot to her, containing scientific, philosophical, and romantic content, have survived. Diderot began writing '' Sur les femmes'' soon after his romantic relationship with Mme de Maux had ended. It has been stated that his romantic dalliance with Mme de Maux resulted in Diderot producing some of his best writings on love, sex, and sexuality. Mme de Maux is known to have been a friend of Mme d'Épinay.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Maux, Mme de Denis Diderot 18th-century French people 1725 births Date of death missing