Product Description

Jeanne du Barry, courtesan and Louis XV's official mistress was the last of the French royal favourites. In this biography, Haslip portrays du Barry as an ordinary woman thrust into extraordinary circumstances in the royal court of 18th century France, victim of her own beauty.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #327150 in Books
• Published on: 2005-05-27
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

Review
29th July 2005, Times Literary Supplement. Review by Russell Goulbourne: 'Du Barry's story is perhaps not a very promising one, but Joan Haslip tells it with a beguiling blend of wit and sympathy.' 'Perfect for those who want the past to come neatly packaged, short on tiresome historical detail, long on love interest and political scandal.'

Customer Reviews

La Dubarry - the last maitresse en titre of the ancien regime
Jeanne Bécu, Comtesse du Barry (August 19, 1743 - December 8, 1793) was a French courtesan who became the last maitress en titre of Louis XV of France and is one of the most famous victims of the Reign of Terror. Coming from a most humble background she made it to Versailles, into the King's bed and then to the position of the King's acknowledged mistress. As reflected in art from the time, she was a remarkably attractive blonde woman. Her life story is quiet an extraordinary one.

Joan Haslip is a renowned author who knows exactly what she is writing about. Her biography on Madame Du Barry not only captures Jeanne but as well the political side of her elevation. She was pushed by people who wanted to influence the king so that she should become a second Pompadour. While she was part of the faction that brought down Duke of Choiseul, Minister of foreign affairs, she was unlike her late predecessor Madame de Pompadour in that she had actually little political influence upon the king. While known for her good nature and support of artists, the King's financial extravagance towards her was the source of increasing unpopularity. Her relationship with Marie Antoinette, the future Queen of France, was legendary contentious. Her "reign" as mistress of the King proved how corrupt the whole Versailles system has become. I enjoyed the "lost parts" of her life as very often one is reading about her role of mistress and shortly after that she is send to the block. However, between the end of her role in Versailles (1774) and her death (1793) there are nearly 20 years. She lived mainly in her famous Château de Louveciennes,

Joan Haslip manages to create sympathies for the comtesse du Barry and shows how she manages to climb up the social ladder and survive in this poisonous environment of Versailles. No mean achievement I would say. One understands so much better this woman. On the other hand Haslip writes sometimes too romanticized and tends to portrait people in extremes.

All in all, a book I enjoyed reading and which grasps the essence of La Du Barry!