Liane de Pougy
(Anne Marie Chassaigne)
* July, 2nd 1869 La Flèche (France)
† December 26th 1950 Lausanne (Switzerland)
Together with La Belle Otéro and Emilienne d'Alençon Liane de Pougy was known as one of the notorious "Les Grandes Trois" (Courtesans).
The young Anne-Marie already got pregnant at age 16 by a naval officer, Armand Pourpe. The marriage with her violent husband ended by divorce soon after. In 1889 she moved to Paris. The son from this marriage, Marc, died during World War II in 1914.
At Paris she changed her name to Liane de Pougy and made friends with the courtesan Valtesse de la Bigne, who introduced her to Paris' high society. Her rivalry with Carolina Otéro is legendary. Liane de Pougy acted on stage of several music halls, i.e. the Folies Bergère or the Olympia. She also wrote a few novels. Her role in Paris' society is nicely "documented" in her notebooks, which were published after her death. Famous is her relationship with the American writer Natalie Clifford Barney (1876-1972).
Later in 1910 she married the Romanian Prince Ghika, and changed her name to Princess Ghika. But this relationship didn't last long either, and they lived separated from 1916 on.
In 1943 she joined the Order of St. Dominic at St. Agnes, Saint-Martin-le-Vinoux, near Grenoble. She chose the name sister Anne-Marie-Madeleine de la Pénitence.
Later she moved to Lausanne, living in an apartment of the Hotel Carlton, where she passed away on December 26th 1950. She is buried at the cemetery of Saint-Martin-de-Vinoux near Grenoble.
Years after her death her notebooks got published in 1977 (available in French and English language). Another biography by Jean Chalon was published in French language.
A more detailed short biography is still in work.
Bibliography:
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de Pougy, Liane
Mes cahiers bleus
Edition Plon, 1977; french language
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Chalon, Jean
Liane de Pougy - Courtisane, princesse et sainte
Flammarion 1993; french language
References:
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