And we thought we knew everything about Marie Antoinette! Well, whether or not it has any basis in reality, it looks luscious. How can it not be? We’ll be seeing it, that’s for sure.
More about Farewell My Queen on Facebook.
Earliest known painting of a transvestite
An 18th-century portrait sold in New York to a British gallery as a “woman in a feathered hat” turns out to actually portray a man dressed as a woman, becoming the earliest known painting of a transvestite. (Read how they figured it out…)
Seems the makers of the 24-episode Japanese animé series, Le Chevalier d’Eon, took a lot of liberties with the Chevalier’s history! And his appearance… Watch the trailer.
July giveaway: “Napoleon and the Rebel”
A compelling, intimate portrait of the Bonapartes, delving into the conflicted relationship between Napoleon and his beloved brother Lucien, the most talented of the Bonaparte brothers, who not only can be credited for helping Napoleon seize power, but who had a promising political career of his own. He was a romantic, an idealist, and an anti-monarchist whose love for Alexandrine, the woman he married in spite of Napoleon’s objections, caused him to fall out of favor with his powerful brother.
We have three hardback copies of this novel to give away this month. Go to the Community home page to see how to win! Offer ends July 31, 2011.
Didn’t win? Buy the book at the Francophilia Amazon store.
Royal wedding in Monaco
Prince Albert II of Monaco and his bride-to-be Charlene Wittstock say in an interview published in France they’re looking to become parents soon after they tie the knot next month.
Read more at GreenwichTime.
First-ever exhibit on history of the Bastille in Paris
For the first time, an exhibit in Paris has pulled together archives on the prison to offer a glimpse into the hidden world of the Bastille. It shows the inmates’ relative comfort – and why it became such a target of revolutionary ire.
Exhibit at the Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal through February 11, 2011.
Remember Marlon Brando as Bonaparte?
Do you remember the 1954 movie Désirée, starring Marlon Brando and Jean Simmons as Napoleon’s first love? The movie seems to be out of print at the moment, but a new edition of the novel by Annemarie Selinko is being published. Hopefully this will mean they’ll re-release the movie on DVD! You can pre-order the new edition of the book at the Francophilia Amazon Store!
Napoleon’s hair auctioned for $13,000
Extra phone lines were installed for the sale to cope with an expected rush of international buyers seeking to snip up the hair cut from the head of former French Emperor a day after his death in 1821 while he was in exile on the island of St. Helena.
via Reuters
Louis XX (what?) gets an heir and a spare…
Their father, the Duc d’Anjou, is Head of the House of Bourbon and senior male heir of Louis XIV and of the ancient Capetian dynasty. These new-born Sons of France, the Dukes of Burgundy and Berry, are the 33rd generation from Hugh Capet, King of France from 987 to 996.
(There really are some français who still buy into this nonsense.) Vive la République !
via Telegraph Blogs
Le Comte de La Pérouse
Jean François de Galaup, Comte de La Pérouse, was the first European to set foot on the Hawaiian islands. There’s a monument to him on Maui, at La Perouse Bay.
Tomb statues of Duke of Burgundy on US tour
via framemuseums.org
40 statues from the tomb of John the Fearless, 2nd Duke of Burgundy (15th century) to go on US tour.
The Sun King liked to party
via bloomberg.com
Tell-all exhibit on the Sun King, “Louis XIV — L’Homme et le Roi” reveals his vanity and extravagances. At Versailles thru Feb 7, 2010! Link