27 Facts About Julie Talma

Julie Talma, born Louise-Julie Careau, was a French dancer at the Paris Opera who became a courtesan in the years before the French Revolution.

Julie Talma used the gifts from her protectors to make a small fortune in real estate speculation.

Julie Talma married the well-known tragic actor Francois-Joseph Talma a few days before giving birth to twin sons.

Julie Talma was charming, intelligent, strong-willed, rational and a firm republican.

Julie Talma held an influential salon before and during the revolution and at the start of Napoleon's rise to power, and became a close friend of Benjamin Constant.

Julie Talma taught her to read and write, taught her polite manners and after two years enrolled her in the Opera's ballet corps.

Julie Talma was then the mistress of the viscount Joseph Alexandre de Segur, who established her in a private mansion and with whom she had another son, Alexandre-Felix Segur.

Julie Talma Carreau used the money from her protectors in real estate speculation in the Chaussee d'Antin district, with architects such as Alexandre-Theodore Brongniart and Claude Nicolas Ledoux, and made a small fortune.

Julie Talma bought a town house on the Rue de la Chaussee d'Antin in 1776.

In 1787 Julie Carreau met Francois-Joseph Talma, an actor who had just started at the Comedie-Francaise, and they began an affair.

Julie Talma gave his support to the French Revolution in 1789, causing a split in the Comedie-Francaise.

Julie Talma took several leading democratic actors with him, including Monvel, Rose Vestris and Amelie-Julie Candeille.

Francois-Joseph Julie Talma met the actress Charlotte Vanhove, wife of the orchestra musician Louis-Sebastien Olympe Petit.

The meetings organized by Madame de Lameth, Madame de Montmorin and Madame de Stael, and those held in the homes of Lucile Duplessis and Julie Talma, continued to play an essential role in the society of Paris after the revolution.

Julie Talma was famed for her literary and artistic circle.

Amelie-Julie Talma Candeille was singing at the piano when the doors burst open.

Julie Talma had to rent her house on the Rue Chantereine.

Three years later on 11 Germinal year VI Julie Talma sold the house to Napoleon.

Under the Directory Julie Talma lived apart from her husband in a small townhouse she shared with her close friend Sophie de Condorcet.

Julie Talma kept a small court of admirers, including Benjamin Constant.

Julie Talma welcomed men who were suspect to the Directory such as Alexandre Rousselin de Saint-Albin, Marie-Joseph Chenier, Dominique Joseph Garat, Pierre-Louis Ginguene and Claude Charles Fauriel.

Julie Talma met Benjamin Constant at the Rue Matignon, and they began a long exchange of letters.

Julie Talma became the firmest as well as the most penetrating friend that Constant ever had.

Constant's Lettre sur Julie Talma was published in 1829, long after he wrote it.

In mid-November 1800 Julie Talma introduced Anna Lindsay to Constant.

Felix de Segur, Julie Talma's last surviving son, died on 10 February 1805.

Julie Talma maintained the rationalist views of the Age of Enlightenment throughout her life, and when dying refused to receive a priest for her last rites.