Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Marie-Madeleine Guimard

Role / Field:

Dominant French ballerina of the Parisian stage during the reign of Louis XVI.

Born:

1743-12-27

Died:

1816-05-04

Century / Era:

1743s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Marie-Madeleine Guimard (French pronunciation: [maʁi madlɛn ɡimaʁ]; 27 December 1743 — 4 May 1816) was a French ballerina who dominated the Parisian stage during the reign of Louis XVI. For twenty-five years she was the star of the Paris Opera. She made herself even more famous by her love affairs, especially by her long liaison with the Prince of Soubise. According to Edmond de Goncourt, when d'Alembert was asked why dancers like La Guimard made such prodigious fortunes, when singers did not, he responded, "It is a necessary consequence of the laws of motion".

Pivotal Works & Achievements

She was the love child of Fabien Guimart and Anne Bernard, and was legitimised at a late date (December 1765). She was trained by the great choreographer d'Harnoncourt, who had entered her at the age of fifteen among the corps de ballet of the Comédie-Française. After a first affair with the dancer Leger, which produced a child, she was engaged at the Opéra (1761) and made her debut, as Terpsichoré, 9 May 1762, and soon was seen dancing at Court. Not known for hazarding the more difficult movements that were being added to the professional repertory of ballet, she was renowned for her perfectly composed...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Marie-Madeleine Guimard