Tag Archives: Maurice Quentin de La Tour

arguing from bank to boudoir

Powerful advocates brought Alexandrine’s pleas to the ear of the pope, and in November 1712, her vows were formally annulled. It was the liberation of Mme de Tencin. From convent to court, and from bank to boudoir, she was always … Continue reading

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a gendered gaze

Exactly how many pieces of art are in the Louvre is not clear. At the most extreme is the assertion that there are 300,000 paintings and a minimum of 5,000 and the total pieces of art ranging from 35,000 to … Continue reading

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odd couples

A secret drive to crave disgrace or an insane desire to please? … Louise Mignot, the daughter of Voltaire’s sister, had in 1738 married Monsieur Denis of the Commisariat Department, who died in 1744. Her uncle on the occasion of … Continue reading

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SLIPPING THROUGH THE BACK DOOR

”Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian (1869-1955), oil baron, philanthropist and art connoisseur was born in Istanbul to a prosperous Armenian banking family. When he was 14, his father, Sarkis Gulbenkian, gave him 50 piastres for successful schoolwork. Calouste raced off to the … Continue reading

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