Jeanne Dubarry: how an ordinary milliner managed to win the heart of Louis XV
Jeanne Dubarry: how an ordinary milliner managed to win the heart of Louis XV

Video: Jeanne Dubarry: how an ordinary milliner managed to win the heart of Louis XV

Video: Jeanne Dubarry: how an ordinary milliner managed to win the heart of Louis XV
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Madame Jeanne Dubarry and King Louis XV of France
Madame Jeanne Dubarry and King Louis XV of France

This woman did not have a noble birth, but the entire high society of the royal court had to reckon with her. Madame Jeanne Dubarry's manners left much to be desired, she refused to dress like the swaggering ladies of the court. It was the dissimilarity that made this woman a favorite adored by Louis XV.

Madame Dubarry. Marie Elisabeth Louise Vigee-Lebrun, 1781
Madame Dubarry. Marie Elisabeth Louise Vigee-Lebrun, 1781

The future king's mistress was of low birth. Her mother, cook Anna Becu, had a pretty appearance, so she had no shortage of patrons. Anna managed to get her daughter to be raised in the monastery of Saint-Ore, after which the already matured Marie Jeanne got a job as a milliner in the Labille studio.

Madame Dubarry. Auguste de Creuse, 1838
Madame Dubarry. Auguste de Creuse, 1838

The beautiful girl didn't really want to work. She laughed more and made eyes at the visitors, graciously accepting presents from them. The owner of the atelier forgave Jeanne for her excessive talkativeness, since she was able to sell even the most seedy goods to customers.

Jean Dubarry, who had a reputation as a pimp, drew attention to the pretty milliner. At court he was called "the provider of pleasure." As a rule, Count Dubarry sought out young beauties, taught them the correct behavior in society and in bed matters, and then sent them to bored aristocrats for a certain reward.

Portrait of Madame Dubarry by Marie Elisabeth Louise Vigee-Lebrun
Portrait of Madame Dubarry by Marie Elisabeth Louise Vigee-Lebrun

Paying attention to Marie Jeanne, Dubarry took all the care of providing for both mother and daughter. Gradually, the former milliner and current courtesan fascinated Paris, but the pimp had big plans for her.

At this time, blues reigned in the royal palace. King Louis XV was left without the beloved favorite of the Marquise Pompadour, his son and daughter-in-law also died, and his wife was on her deathbed. It seemed that nothing could cheer the aging king.

King of France Louis XV. Maurice Quentin de Latour, 1748
King of France Louis XV. Maurice Quentin de Latour, 1748

The comediner Lebel desperately sent young beauties to the king's chambers, but none could captivate Louis XV. In the end, Count DuBarry came to Lebel's aid. The pimp brought Jeanne Becu to Marie's palace. At first, the valet did not like the girl at all, but after a few hours of communication, Lebel ran as fast as he could to His Majesty to tell about his find. The very next night, the courtesan went to the king's chambers.

Marble bust of Madame Dubarry. Augustin Page, 1773
Marble bust of Madame Dubarry. Augustin Page, 1773

In the morning, the king was in good spirits. After a passionate night with Jeanne, he told Richelieu: “This is the only woman in France who managed to make me forget my age and my troubles. She taught me things that I didn’t even know about.” The aging 60-year-old Louis XV seemed to have found a second youth. Now he did not let the girl go a step.

Madame Dubarry's necklace, later inherited by Queen Marie Antoinette of France
Madame Dubarry's necklace, later inherited by Queen Marie Antoinette of France

The king quickly gave the new favorite in marriage to Guillaume Dubarry, the brother of the pimp. He received good compensation and was exiled to the province, and Jeanne, in turn, acquired the title of count.

Dubarry and Louis XV. Gyula Bentsur, 1874
Dubarry and Louis XV. Gyula Bentsur, 1874

The courtiers were contemptuous of the king's new passion. Low birth and excessive looseness caused a storm of indignation. In order for the aristocrats to come to terms with the position of Joan at court, in 1769 the monarch introduced her as an official favorite.

Jeanne Dubarry stood out sharply against the background of the ladies of the court: she used a minimum of cosmetics, preferred dresses made of light fabrics of light shades, did not burden herself with bulky hairstyles on her head. Her hair was always slightly disheveled, and her curls lay loosely on her shoulders. Jeanne did not aspire to become a trendsetter, but her "careless" style still began to be copied at court.

Castle of Madame Dubarry in Louveciennes
Castle of Madame Dubarry in Louveciennes

As for Louis XV, he doted on his "nymph". Jeanne was cheerful, relaxed, she knew how to please the king in his chambers. There were no taboos in bed games for the favorite, which was very much liked by the elderly Louis XV.

After the death of the king, the favorite was removed from the court, but literally a year later, the grandson of Louis XV returned all the titles and wealth to her. But soon a difficult time of wars and revolutions began for France. Madame Dubarry also suffered. The death of the former king's passion was terrible. She was accused of having connections with emigrants and was sent to the guillotine.

Madame Dubarry is being led to her execution. Tighe Hopkins, 1897
Madame Dubarry is being led to her execution. Tighe Hopkins, 1897

During the French Revolution, many monarchs lost their heads. They were sent to the guillotine, which was considered a very humane instrument of death.

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