Henriette Desportes Field

Henriette Deluzy-Desportes (1813–1875) was a French governess who was the subject of a scandal with Charles Laure Hugues Théobald, duc de Choiseul-Praslin. The scandal played a role in bringing down the King of France. The story of her life in Paris was the basis for a book written by her great-niece and made into the movie All This, and Heaven Too starring Bette Davis in 1940.

She traveled to New York City in 1848 and was hired as a schoolteacher. In 1851, she married a minister Henry Martyn Field from Stockbridge, Massachusetts and was then known as Henriette Desportes Field.

She was a member of the School of Design for Women at Cooper Union's Advisory Council from 1859, when it was founded, until her death. She was principal of the art department in the early 1860s. She exhibited her works of art at the National Academy of Design. The Fields hosted eminent writers and artists at their home in Gramercy Park, Manhattan. Some of their regular guests were Harriet Beecher Stowe and Peter Cooper.

Europe Early life Johann Stephan Decker (1784-1844), Félix Desportes (1763–1849), September 1818. He was Henriette's maternal grandfather. Henriette Deluzy-Desportes was born in Paris in 1813 to unmarried parents.

Henriette was a talented artist. The Praslins had nine boys and girls. just a few hours after the duke and their children visited Henriette at her new residence. Henriette told her students her side of the story as a way to manage the gossip that was spread about her. She won the "sympathy and allegiance" of her students. who painted her portrait in 1875. Samuel Morse, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Fanny Kemble, and William Cullen Bryant regularly attended their salon in Gramercy Park. Henriette was considered an intelligent, charming hostess.

Artist and educator

She was a member of the School of Design for Women at Cooper Union's Advisory Council from 1859, when it was founded, until her death. She was principal of the art department in the early 1860s. She exhibited her works of art at the National Academy of Design, including some of her crayon portraits. Cooper Union has some of her pencil sketches. She also painted portraits and landscapes. For a period of time, she taught adults the French language and literature in the evenings. Henriette was a member of the Association for the Advancement of Truth in Art, which was first convened by Thomas Charles Farrer in January 1863. ) and an unidentified girl around 1865 which has been among the collection of the Stockbridge Library Association. The association has also owned two charcoal drawings that Henriette made of Clara Field (1851–1921) around 1858 and around 1862.

Death Henriette died of cancer in New York City on March 6, 1875. She was buried in Stockbridge.

Looking back on her life, she quoted Matthew Henry (1662–1714): "All this, and Heaven, too", which became the name of the book written about her by Rachel Field, her grand-niece. Henry Martyn Field married for a second time after Henriette's death.

Popular culture Field's great niece, Rachel Field wrote the best seller All This, and Heaven Too about Deluzy-Desportes's life in France. It was made into a film starring Bette Davis in 1940. The character Miriam in The Marble Faun, Nathaniel Hawthorne's story of the Praslin's murder and suicide, is based upon Henriette. Stanley Loomis wrote A Crime of Passion in 1967 about Henrietta and the Praslin murder and scandal in 1967. Like Rachel Field, he is a resident of Stockbridge, Massachusetts.