Tag Archives: French Revolution

Friday Finds 9

Posted on February 17, 2017 by Patricia Gilbert

How to Ruin a Queen: Marie Antoinette and the Diamond Necklace Affair, by Jonathan Beckman – This is a detailed historical account of the scandal over a diamond necklace that may have been one of the causes that led to … Continue reading →

Posted in Décor, Literature, Media, Movies | Tagged French Revolution, Gad Elmahleh, Gad Gone Wild, How to Ruin a Queen, Jonathan Beckman, L'Empereur, Luc Jacquet, Marie Antoinette, penguin, Seda France | Leave a comment

Encore un moment!

Posted on August 19, 2013 by Patricia Gilbert

The last official mistress of Louis XV, Jeanne Bécu, better known as the comtesse du Barry was born on August 19, 1743. She was the illegitimate daughter of a seamstress and possibly a friar. Mother and child moved to Paris … Continue reading →

Posted in History | Tagged Encore un moment, French Revolution, Jeanne Bécu, Louis XV of France, Madame du Barry, Marie Antoinette, Palace of Versailles | 3 Comments

Formation continue

Posted on November 12, 2012 by Patricia Gilbert

For years, we’ve been following programs from The Great Courses. They hire the top professors to lecture in their area of passion and they produce them in DVD or CD formats. They have all sorts of options to appeal to … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art, History, Literature | Tagged formation continue, French Revolution, Louvre, the Enlightenment, The Great Courses, Wars of Religion | 1 Comment

Les Liaisons dangereuses

Posted on October 18, 2012 by Patricia Gilbert

Scandalous French author and general Pierre Ambroise François Choderlos de Laclos was born on October 18, 1741. In his early career as a soldier, de Laclos grew bored with life in the barracks and began to fill his time with … Continue reading →

Posted in Literature | Tagged Dangerous Liaisons, French epistolary novel, French Revolution, Glenn Close, Laclos, Les Liaisons dangereuses, Pierre Choderlos de Laclos | Leave a comment

Mémoires d’outre-tombe

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Patricia Gilbert

French writer, politician, diplomat, and historian François-René, vicomte de Chateaubriand was born on September 4, 1768. He was the son of an aristocratic but dysfunctional family from Saint-Malo. His father was a morose slave trader and his only close friend … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Literature | Tagged François-René de Chateaubriand, French Revolution, Mémoires d'Outre-Tombe, Napoleon, Saint-Malo | 2 Comments

Un citoyen

Posted on August 23, 2012 by Patricia Gilbert

Louis XVI was born on August 23, 1754. I’m sure you all know that he was executed following the French Revolution, but what don’t you know about him? his real name was Louis-Auguste he was his parents’ third son, and … Continue reading →

Posted in History | Tagged American Revolution, French Revolution, History of France, Louis XVI of France, Louis XVII of France, Marie Antoinette, un citoyen | 6 Comments

Femme, réveille-toi !

Posted on May 7, 2011 by Patricia Gilbert

May 7, 1748 is the birthday of Olympe de Gouges, born Marie Gouze. She was an early feminist and abolitionist. De Gouges had an early, unhappy marriage and moved to Paris after his death a year later where she had a string of … Continue reading →

Posted in People | Tagged anti-slavery, Femme réveille-toi !, french expression, French Revolution, La Déclaration des droits de la femme et de la citoyenne, Olympe de Gouges, vouloir c'est pouvoir, women's suffrage | Leave a comment

Le train-train

Posted on April 29, 2011 by Patricia Gilbert

Jean-Georges Noverre was born on April 29, 1727. As he is considered to be the inventor of modern ballet, his birthday is celebrated as International Dance Day. His father was a Swiss soldier and his parents intended Noverre to follow … Continue reading →

Posted in Ballet, People | Tagged flash mob Toronto Eaton Centre, French idiom, French Revolution, International Dance Day, Le train-train, Les Lettres sur la danse et sur les ballets, Marie Antoinette, Paris Opera | Leave a comment

Ici, enfin, je repose

Posted on April 16, 2011 by Patricia Gilbert

One of my favorite painters, Élisabeth-Louise Vigée Le Brun, was born today, April 16 in 1755. She was born a stone’s throw from the Louvre in the Palais Royale. Her father was a portrait artist in pastels. He taught Élisabeth … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, People | Tagged Élisabeth-Louise Vigée Le Brun, French artist, French Revolution, ici enfin je repose, Louvre, Marie Antoinette, Musée du Louvre | 9 Comments

Pas d’histoires !

Posted on January 21, 2011 by Patricia Gilbert

A friend just pointed me in the direction of the most marvelous resource. Follow the links here to “historyteachers” at YouTube. These creative teachers have put together 50 fine quality videos in which they use contemporary music re-written to showcase various … Continue reading →