Nina de Callias

Anne-Marie Gaillard (12 July 1843 – 22 July 1884), known as Nina de Villard de Callias, Nina de Callias or Nina de Villard, was a hostess, pianist, composer, poet, actress, and artist's model. During these gatherings Gaillard took part in dances and musical performances.

Guests who attended her salons included Hector Berlioz, Edgar Degas, Anatole France, Augusta Holmes, Manet, Arthur Rimbaud, and Richard Wagner, Marie Deschamps, Virginie Huet (organist), Emmanual des Essarts, Francès (actor and singer), in search of new forms of expression, known collectively as the Parnassians.

Noteworthy salons: 16 December 1868 afterparty for concert at the Théâtre de l'École lyrique (the landlord gave her notice for noise, but she did not stop having parties, she just paid the fines). 14 January 1869 afterparty for François Coppée's play Le Passant (Actors Agar and Sarah Bernhardt attended).

On 11 March 1869 an article about de Callias was published by Anatole France in La Vogue parisienne stating that she was "an ideal and dizzying pianist" and "graceful and fiercely beautiful." These parties put de Callias into contact with many high-ranking and talented artists and writers, many of whom she collaborated with or inspired.

De Callias inspired many artist and writer's works during this period, including Verlaine and Coppée's sonnets about her stardom in 1869, Léon Dierx's lead character in his book La Rencontre in 1874, and Charles Cros's assorted works detailed above.

De Callias later dated artist Franc-Lamy, a friend of Manet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Two portraits of de Callias were shown at the Salon of 1879: a dry-point by Marcellin Desboutin and a drawing by Franc-Lamy.

Many of de Callias' poems were published in Feuillets parisiens in 1885 after her death.

As a composer De Callias performed in multiple concert halls and other venues throughout her career, but two frequently cited performances are a charity concert in Le Havre on October 19, 1868 and her concert at the Théâtre de l'Ecole lyrique on December 16, 1868. La Press musicale praised Villard's poetry and musical performances equating her energy when performing to that of French fury. Romance