Madame de Pompadour
(1968, this edition 2011) is a non-fiction book about the long-time mistress of
King Louis XV of France, written by Nancy Mitford (1904-1973), author of the novel,
Love in a Cold Climate.
Madame de Pompadour
was born Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson – often ridiculed because her surname means
‘fish.’ At the age of nine, a fortune-teller predicted that she would steal the
heart of a king. This was not possible because she was not from aristocracy – she
was from the bourgeoisie – from the rural ‘boroughs.’
Jeanne-Antoinette
could act, dance, sing, play the clavichord, and paint. She was an enthusiastic
gardener and botanist, and she collected rare and exotic birds. In fact, she
had everything except good health. She was pretty, though her looks ‘depended
on dazzle and expression rather than bone structure.’ She married Monsieur Normant d’Etoiles.
Nevertheless, she
captured the attention of King Louis XV who hunted in the grounds of the forest
of Senart, next to the d’Etoiles residence. This is the account of her growing
up and meeting the king. It is also about her 20 years in the king’s court.
Madame de Pompadour
(1721-1764) was influential in the king’s palace, the Palace of Versailles. She
was kind to the Queen, but loathsome to the bourgeoisie who resented her rise
to power and prestige. The novel tells of the impact of the Seven Year’s War on
the court of France, the downsizing of the estate, and its ‘defeats and
humiliations.’ She died of tuberculosis at the age of 42.
Mitford’s writing is
descriptive but not convaluted. It is an easy style that neatly categorizes the
novel into significant periods. She attempts to minimize interchanging name and
title of characters to avoid confusion, yet it is often difficult to remember
the relatives – brothers, cousins and so forth.
Mitford also attempts
to place events in modern day, such as reminding visitors to the Palace of
Versailles where to look for the rooms of Madame de Pompadour – ‘the visitor to
Versailles, coming into the garden through the usual entrance, should turn left
and count the nine top windows from the north-west corner; they were Madame de
Pompadour’s at this time.’
The scenes behind the
history are fascinating and grippingly told, but also with tenderness and
emotion. This is an enjoyable slice of history, even if I did forget to look
for the nine top windows when I last visited Versailles. Perhaps another visit
is required.
MARTINA NICOLLS is an international
aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of
Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet
(2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).
Comments
Post a Comment