Jeanne Demarsy

Jeanne Demarsy (born Anne Darlaud; 1865–1937 ) was a French model, actress, and courtesan. She modeled for many impressionist painters at the time. Demarsy is most widely known today as the model for Édouard Manet's Jeanne. As an actress Demarsy performed in Parisian theaters from 1887–1905. Demarsy was also well-known as courtesan.

During her life Demarsy was considered to be quite beautiful and stylish. In the late 1880s, Demarsy was in a bad carriage accident which nearly "disfigured" her, but her career as an actress, courtesan, and model continued on.

Career

As an artist's model When she was only 16, Demarsy modeled for Édouard Manet's painting Jeanne in 1881, an allegory of Spring, which Manet exhibited to great acclaim at the 1882 Paris salon. He painted her portrait, Mademoiselle Demarsy (aka Woman Leaning On Her Elbow), in 1882.

As an actress Demarsy performed at multiple theaters in Paris from 1887 to 1905.

Important roles include: One critic praised her as elegant and slender and compared her to the goddess Venus. The French newspaper L'Estafette and other journals listed some of the things Demarsy commissioned including luxurious lace-trimmed nightgowns, chemises, and embroidered stockings. The bill totaled 5,977 francs, an astounding sum at the time.

Demarsy died in Paris on 8 October 1937.