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Countess of Barry
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Countess of Barry
JEANNE BECU, COMTESSE DU BARRY Paris shopgirl who became mistress to Louis XV but was guillotined during the Revolution
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Media ID 584449
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10036798
1743 1793 Barry Becu Comtesse Countess Guillotined Jeanne Mistress Revolution Shopgirl
EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative portrait captures the enigmatic figure of Jeanne Becu, the Countess of Barry (1741-1793), a Paris shopgirl who rose to become the mistress of King Louis XV of France. Born into poverty, Becu's beauty and charisma caught the eye of the aging monarch, who took her as his lover in 1768, when she was just 27 years old. Their relationship was kept secret from the public, but rumors of the king's infatuation with the commoner spread, fueling scandal and intrigue. Despite the controversy, Becu thrived in the royal court, becoming a patron of the arts and a fashion icon. She was known for her extravagant wardrobe and her lavish lifestyle, which included a household staff of over 100 people. However, her position at the court was tenuous, and when Louis XV died in 1774, she was left with few resources and no official protection. During the French Revolution, Becu's past as a royal mistress made her a target for the radicals who sought to purge the old regime from French society. She was arrested in 1793 and put on trial for her alleged crimes against the state. Despite her attempts to defend herself, she was found guilty and sentenced to death by guillotine. The image of Becu, once a symbol of royal decadence, became a cautionary tale of the dangers of the old regime and the power of revolution. This portrait, taken around the time of her rise to prominence, captures the allure and mystery of the Countess of Barry, a shopgirl who defied the odds and captured the heart of a king, only to be ultimately brought down by the forces of revolution and change.
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