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Lot Essay
The renowned beauty Françoise-Marguerite, Countess de Grignan was born in Paris in 1646, the daughter of Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, Madame de Sevigne and the Marquess Henri Sevigne. On the death of Henri Sevigne, killed in a duel, Madame de Sevigne devoted herself to her children Françoise-Marguerite and her brother Charles, whilst continuing to mix in the fashionable circles of Paris. On the 29 January 1669 Françoise-Marguerite married Francois Adhemar de Monteil, Count of Grignan and moved with him to Provence where he was appointed Lieutenant General of the province later to become Governor. The seperation from her daughter caused Madame de Sevigne great sorrow and resulted in a series of letters, considered to be a great literary achievement. Totalling 1700 in all, the letters from Madame de Sevigne to the Countess Grignan are written in a natural and conversational style and are filled with motherly love. The letters also recount current news and events in fashionable society, describing prominent people and details of her life.
The bond and strength of the love between Françoise-Marquerite and her mother meant that she retuned to Paris in 1674, 1676, 1677 and 1680 and that Madame de Sevigne travelled south in the years 1672, 169 and 1694. During the last visit of 1694, Madame de Sevigne was to nurse Francoise-Marguerite through an illness, a fact which was disputed in the nineteenth century. Madame de Sevigne died at Grignan in 1696 of smallpox, the Count de Grignan saying 'she faced death with astonishing firmness and submission'. Madame de Grignan died in 1705.
There is a portrait of Madame de Grinan, attributed to Pierre Mignard in the Musee Carnavalet, Paris.
The Chateau Grignan is the largest renaissance chateau in south-east France, it was listed as a historic monument in 1993.
The bond and strength of the love between Françoise-Marquerite and her mother meant that she retuned to Paris in 1674, 1676, 1677 and 1680 and that Madame de Sevigne travelled south in the years 1672, 169 and 1694. During the last visit of 1694, Madame de Sevigne was to nurse Francoise-Marguerite through an illness, a fact which was disputed in the nineteenth century. Madame de Sevigne died at Grignan in 1696 of smallpox, the Count de Grignan saying 'she faced death with astonishing firmness and submission'. Madame de Grignan died in 1705.
There is a portrait of Madame de Grinan, attributed to Pierre Mignard in the Musee Carnavalet, Paris.
The Chateau Grignan is the largest renaissance chateau in south-east France, it was listed as a historic monument in 1993.