About this item
Catherine Hewitts The Mistress of Paris is a fantastically readable biography of a nineteenth-century Parisian courtesan who harbored an incredible secret."A gorgeous, smart, ambitious, hard-working, steely autodidact and businesswoman whose product was herself, Valtesse would be totally at home in our self-branding society." - The New York Times Book ReviewComtesse Valtesse de la Bigne was painted by Édouard Manet and inspired Émile Zola, who immortalized her in his scandalous novel Nana. Her rumored affairs with Napoleon III and the future King Edward VII kept gossip columns full. But her glamorous existence hid a dark secret: she was no comtesse. Valtesse was born into abject poverty, raised on a squalid backstreet among the dregs of Parisian society. Yet she transformed herself into an enchantress who possessed a small fortune, three mansions, fabulous carriages, and art the envy of connoisseurs across Europe. A consummate show-woman, she ensured that her life - and even her death - remained shrouded in just enough mystery to keep her audience hungry for more.Spectacularly evoking the sights and sounds of mid- to late nineteenth-century Paris in all its hedonistic glory, Catherine Hewitts biography tells, for the first time ever in English, the forgotten story of a remarkable woman who, though her roots were lowly, never stopped aiming high.
About the Author
Catherine Hewitt's academic career began with a passion for 19th-century French art, literature and social history. Her doctoral research uncovered the remarkable story of a forgotten 19th-century courtesan, and after being awarded her PhD, she set out on her career in biography. Catherine's first book, The Mistress of Paris, was awarded the runner-up's prize in the 2012 Biographers' Club Tony Lothian competition for the best proposal by an uncommissioned, first-time biographer. Based on meticulous research, Catherine's writing seeks to lift history out of the dusty annals of academia and bring its characters and events to life for the 21st-century reader. Her writing introduces real people, telling their stories in intimate detail and enabling readers to share their successes and frustrations. As well as writing, Catherine lectures and runs workshops on 19th-century French art, literature and social history, always seeking to share her enthusiasm for French history and culture. She also works as a translator, and past projects have included translating a permanent exhibition of the work of the radical French female painter Suzanne Valadon for a gallery near Limoges in France.
Catherine lives in a village in Surrey, UK. When she is not writing, she can be found helping restore her family's house in the middle of rural France, cooking, reading and enjoying country walks with her little black cockerpoo, Alfie.
'incredibly readable [ ... ] Hewitt has a great deal of knowledge on the time period of 19th-century Paris' - History Revealed, UK
'an enthralling story, told with both conviction and sympathy.' - The Observer, UK
'Hewitt is a diligent researcher and her handsomely illustrated debut biography is crammed with period detail' - The Daily Telegraph, UK
'a fantastically readable biography...' - Telegraph Bookshop, UK
'first-time writer Catherine Hewitt who, based both on the book and her own self-assured presence at the event, is almost certain to become a familiar name.' - Oxford Literary Festival 2016 blog, UK
'Hewitt's fascinating biography reads like a novel' - Booklist, US
