Rosalie Duthé
Encyclopedia
Catherine-Rosalie Gerard Duthé (1748–1830, alt: Duthe or Du The) was a celebrated French courtesan
. A companion of French kings and European nobility, she has been called "the first officially recorded dumb blonde." Duthé was an often requested subject for portrait
s, including partial and full nudes
, many of which still exist in museums and private collections.
, Duthé became the mistress of wealthy English financier George Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont
(1751–1837), "whom she is said to have ruined." She then became a dancer at the Paris Opera Ballet, and the companion to various noblemen, including the Duc de Durfort
, the Marquis de Genlis, and the young Duc d'Artois, the future Charles X of France
. In an incident around 1788, Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
, presented Duthé to his fifteen-year-old son Philippe (later King Louis Philippe I) to "learn some facts of life." When she was later seen in Philippe's royal carriage on the Champs-Élysées
, some young aristocrats took offense, as normally only princes rode in royal carriages; they sang a song set to a popular tune using the lyrics "La Duthé a dû téter", roughly translated as "La Duthé must have suckled royally."
In Parisian society Duthé developed a certain "reputation by adopting the habit of pausing for extended periods of time before speaking." She appeared not only stupid, but dumb in the literal sense. This inspired a one-act satire about her called Les Curiosités de la Foire (Paris 1775) that "kept Paris laughing for weeks." Although the origin of the stereotype of the dumb blonde is not entirely clear, cultural historian Joanna Pitman has noted that “Rosalie Duthé acquired the dubious honour of becoming the first officially recorded dumb blonde.”
Duthé was the supposed author of an autobiography
, Galanteries d'une Demoiselle du Monde ou Souvénirs de Mlle. Duthé (1833), though it has been claimed the real author was Baron Lamothe-Langone, who had known Duthé personally.
in 1768, for a full-length portrait now held by the English branch of the Rothschild
family. Salbreux-Perin
, better known as a miniaturist, made at least five portraits of Duthé, including a nude of her sitting modestly at the end of her bath that was intended for the bathroom of the Comte d'Artois at Bagatelle
. Another shows her lying naked on her bed, hair disheveled, now among the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Rheims
. Antoine Vestier
(1740–1824) painted the nude Portrait of Rosalie Duthé (ca. 1780).
Henri-Pierre Danloux
(1753–1809) was Duthé's favorite artist, and he recorded some of his sessions with her in his diary. Danloux painted a number of portraits, including Mademoiselle Rosalie Duthé (1792), commissioned by Duthe's friend and banker Jean-Frédéric Perregaux, who is said to have contemplated this image on his death-bed. Claude-Jean-Baptiste Hoin
(1750–1817) painted Presumed portrait of Rosalie Duthé (date unknown).
Other painters who made portraits include Jean Honore Fragonard, Pierre-Paul Prud'hon and Jacques-Antoine-Marie Lemoine
. Among the sculptors who created busts of her are Jean-Baptiste Defernex
and Jean-Antoine Houdon
. Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun painted Portrait of Mademoiselle Rosalie Duthé (1776), but she never took Duthé as a model and the painting is now considered a copy of someone else's portrait.
Courtesan
A courtesan was originally a female courtier, which means a person who attends the court of a monarch or other powerful person.In feudal society, the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together...
. A companion of French kings and European nobility, she has been called "the first officially recorded dumb blonde." Duthé was an often requested subject for portrait
Portrait
thumb|250px|right|Portrait of [[Thomas Jefferson]] by [[Rembrandt Peale]], 1805. [[New-York Historical Society]].A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness,...
s, including partial and full nudes
Art nude
An art nude is a work of art that takes the naked human form as its dominant subject. The term is used for painting, sculpture, photography, and mixed media.-Western tradition:...
, many of which still exist in museums and private collections.
Biography
After quitting a French conventConvent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
, Duthé became the mistress of wealthy English financier George Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont
George Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont
George O'Brien Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont was a British peer. A direct descendant of Sir John Wyndham, he succeeded to his father's titles in 1763 at the age of 12, inheriting estates at Petworth, Egremont, Leconfield and land in Wiltshire and Somerset. He later inherited the lands of the Earl...
(1751–1837), "whom she is said to have ruined." She then became a dancer at the Paris Opera Ballet, and the companion to various noblemen, including the Duc de Durfort
Durfort (family)
Durfort is the name of a French noble family, distinguished in French and English history.Durfort is a village of southwestern France, formerly in the province of Guienne, now in the département of Tarn-et-Garonne, 18 m. NW of Montauban by road...
, the Marquis de Genlis, and the young Duc d'Artois, the future Charles X of France
Charles X of France
Charles X was known for most of his life as the Comte d'Artois before he reigned as King of France and of Navarre from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. A younger brother to Kings Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, he supported the latter in exile and eventually succeeded him...
. In an incident around 1788, Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
Louis Philippe Joseph d'Orléans commonly known as Philippe, was a member of a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon, the ruling dynasty of France. He actively supported the French Revolution and adopted the name Philippe Égalité, but was nonetheless guillotined during the Reign of Terror...
, presented Duthé to his fifteen-year-old son Philippe (later King Louis Philippe I) to "learn some facts of life." When she was later seen in Philippe's royal carriage on the Champs-Élysées
Champs-Élysées
The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is a prestigious avenue in Paris, France. With its cinemas, cafés, luxury specialty shops and clipped horse-chestnut trees, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées is one of the most famous streets and one of the most expensive strip of real estate in the world. The name is...
, some young aristocrats took offense, as normally only princes rode in royal carriages; they sang a song set to a popular tune using the lyrics "La Duthé a dû téter", roughly translated as "La Duthé must have suckled royally."
In Parisian society Duthé developed a certain "reputation by adopting the habit of pausing for extended periods of time before speaking." She appeared not only stupid, but dumb in the literal sense. This inspired a one-act satire about her called Les Curiosités de la Foire (Paris 1775) that "kept Paris laughing for weeks." Although the origin of the stereotype of the dumb blonde is not entirely clear, cultural historian Joanna Pitman has noted that “Rosalie Duthé acquired the dubious honour of becoming the first officially recorded dumb blonde.”
Duthé was the supposed author of an autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, Galanteries d'une Demoiselle du Monde ou Souvénirs de Mlle. Duthé (1833), though it has been claimed the real author was Baron Lamothe-Langone, who had known Duthé personally.
In art
Duthé was often requested by portrait painters for sittings, including for partial and full nudes. She was painted by François-Hubert DrouaisFrançois-Hubert Drouais
François-Hubert Drouais was a French painter and the father of Jean-Germain Drouais.Drouais was born and died in Paris. He specialized in portraits of the French nobility, foreign aristocrats, writers, and other artists. Some of his portraits include Louis XV's last two mistresses, Madame de...
in 1768, for a full-length portrait now held by the English branch of the Rothschild
Rothschild
Rothschild is a common German surname. It is a habitational name from a house distinguished with a red shield , the earliest recorded example dating from the 13th century...
family. Salbreux-Perin
Lié Louis Périn-Salbreux
Lié Louis Périn-Salbreux was a French artist.He was born in Rheims, France, where His father was a textile manufacturer. Périn-Salbreux was a painter, pastellist, and a miniaturist.- References :...
, better known as a miniaturist, made at least five portraits of Duthé, including a nude of her sitting modestly at the end of her bath that was intended for the bathroom of the Comte d'Artois at Bagatelle
Château de Bagatelle
The Château de Bagatelle is a small neoclassical château with a French landscape garden in the Bois de Boulogne in the XVIe arrondissement of Paris...
. Another shows her lying naked on her bed, hair disheveled, now among the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Rheims
Museum of Fine Arts, Rheims
The Museum of Fine Arts is a fine arts museum in the French town of Reims.-History:Its collection was founded in 1794 with objects seized during the French Revolution and was first housed in the city's town hall...
. Antoine Vestier
Antoine Vestier
Antoine Vestier was a French miniaturist and painter of portraits, born at Avallon in Burgundy, who trained in the atelier of Jean-Baptiste Pierre...
(1740–1824) painted the nude Portrait of Rosalie Duthé (ca. 1780).
Henri-Pierre Danloux
Henri-Pierre Danloux
Henri-Pierre Danloux was a French painter and draftsman.He was born in Paris. Brought up by his architect uncle, Danloux was a pupil of Lépicié and later of Vien, whom he followed to Rome in 1775...
(1753–1809) was Duthé's favorite artist, and he recorded some of his sessions with her in his diary. Danloux painted a number of portraits, including Mademoiselle Rosalie Duthé (1792), commissioned by Duthe's friend and banker Jean-Frédéric Perregaux, who is said to have contemplated this image on his death-bed. Claude-Jean-Baptiste Hoin
Claude-Jean-Baptiste Hoin
Claude-Jean-Baptiste Hoin was a French artist known primarily for his portraits and landscapes. He worked in pastels for his portrait miniatures, and in gouache and engraving for his landscapes. He studied with François Devosge and Jean-Baptiste Greuze...
(1750–1817) painted Presumed portrait of Rosalie Duthé (date unknown).
Other painters who made portraits include Jean Honore Fragonard, Pierre-Paul Prud'hon and Jacques-Antoine-Marie Lemoine
Jacques-Antoine-Marie Lemoine
Jacques-Antoine-Marie Lemoine, also Lemoyne , was a French artist, known primarily for portraiture.Lemoine was born in Rouen. He declined to follow his father's precedent in becoming a notary, and instead began study at the École des Beaux-Arts in Rouen...
. Among the sculptors who created busts of her are Jean-Baptiste Defernex
Jean-Baptiste Defernex
Jean-Baptist Defernex was a French artist best known for his portrait busts, most often of women.Little is known of his early training, but he started as a modeler at the Sèvres factory. He was sculptor to the Duc d'Orléans and worked on gilded lead statue groups of children at the Palais-Royal....
and Jean-Antoine Houdon
Jean-Antoine Houdon
Jean-Antoine Houdon was a French neoclassical sculptor. Houdon is famous for his portrait busts and statues of philosophers, inventors and political figures of the Enlightenment...
. Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun painted Portrait of Mademoiselle Rosalie Duthé (1776), but she never took Duthé as a model and the painting is now considered a copy of someone else's portrait.
External links
Souvenirs de Mlle Duthe de l'opera, 1748–1830. Avec introd. et notes de Paul Ginisty at Internet ArchiveInternet Archive
The Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...