Berthe de Courrière
Encyclopedia
Berthe de Courrière was a French
artists' model
and demimondaine
. She was the mistress
, model, and heir of the sculptor and painter Auguste Clésinger
.
and several ministers
. The sculptor Auguste Clésinger
, an intimate friend of George Sand
, remarked on Courrière's full form and gigantic proportions, bringing her the nicknames la grande dame ("the big woman") or Berthe aux grands pieds ("Bigfoot Bertha"). She was his model for the bust
of Marianne
for the Sénat as well as for the colossal statue of the Republic for the 1878 Exposition Universelle
. On Clésinger's death, in 1883, Berthe was his sole heiress and found herself with a large fortune.
In 1886, she met Remy de Gourmont
, then making his literary debut, and commissioned from him a study on Clésinger. She became Gourmont's mistress and muse. Gourmont lived with her, at first on rue de Varenne then at number 71 rue des Saints-Pères, until his death in 1915. She died in 1916 and was laid to rest beside him in Clésinger's vault at the cimetière du Père-Lachaise. Gourmont's passionate letters to her over 1887 were published together in one volume as Lettres à Sixtine (1921).
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
artists' model
Model (art)
Art models are models who pose for photographers, painters, sculptors, and other artists as part of their work of art. Art models who pose in the nude for life drawing are usually called life models...
and demimondaine
Demimonde
Demi-monde refers to a group of people who live hedonistic lifestyles, usually in a flagrant and conspicuous manner. The term was commonly used in Europe from the late 18th to the early 20th century, and modern use often refers to that period...
. She was the mistress
Mistress (lover)
A mistress is a long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner; the term is used especially when her partner is married. The relationship generally is stable and at least semi-permanent; however, the couple does not live together openly. Also the relationship is usually,...
, model, and heir of the sculptor and painter Auguste Clésinger
Auguste Clésinger
Auguste Clésinger was a 19th-century French sculptor and painter.- Life :...
.
Life
Born Caroline Louise Victoire Courrière, she set out for Paris at age 20 and first became the mistress of General Georges BoulangerGeorges Boulanger
Georges Ernest Jean-Marie Boulanger was a French general and reactionary politician. At the apogee of his popularity in January 1889 many republicans including Georges Clemenceau feared the threat of a coup d'état by Boulanger and the establishment of a dictatorship.- Early life and career :Born...
and several ministers
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
. The sculptor Auguste Clésinger
Auguste Clésinger
Auguste Clésinger was a 19th-century French sculptor and painter.- Life :...
, an intimate friend of George Sand
George Sand
Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin, later Baroness Dudevant , best known by her pseudonym George Sand , was a French novelist and memoirist.-Life:...
, remarked on Courrière's full form and gigantic proportions, bringing her the nicknames la grande dame ("the big woman") or Berthe aux grands pieds ("Bigfoot Bertha"). She was his model for the bust
Bust (sculpture)
A bust is a sculpted or cast representation of the upper part of the human figure, depicting a person's head and neck, as well as a variable portion of the chest and shoulders. The piece is normally supported by a plinth. These forms recreate the likeness of an individual...
of Marianne
Marianne
Marianne is a national emblem of France and an allegory of Liberty and Reason. She represents the state and values of France, differently from another French cultural symbol, the "Coq Gaulois" which represents France as a nation and its history, land, culture, and variety of sport disciplines in...
for the Sénat as well as for the colossal statue of the Republic for the 1878 Exposition Universelle
Exposition Universelle (1855)
The Exposition Universelle of 1855 was an International Exhibition held on the Champs-Elysées in Paris from May 15 to November 15, 1855. Its full official title was the Exposition Universelle des produits de l'Agriculture, de l'Industrie et des Beaux-Arts de Paris 1855.The exposition was a major...
. On Clésinger's death, in 1883, Berthe was his sole heiress and found herself with a large fortune.
In 1886, she met Remy de Gourmont
Remy de Gourmont
Remy de Gourmont was a French Symbolist poet, novelist, and influential critic. He was widely read in his era, and an important influence on Blaise Cendrars...
, then making his literary debut, and commissioned from him a study on Clésinger. She became Gourmont's mistress and muse. Gourmont lived with her, at first on rue de Varenne then at number 71 rue des Saints-Pères, until his death in 1915. She died in 1916 and was laid to rest beside him in Clésinger's vault at the cimetière du Père-Lachaise. Gourmont's passionate letters to her over 1887 were published together in one volume as Lettres à Sixtine (1921).