Cléo de Mèrode, spirit of La Belle Epoque

In Paris, La Belle Epoque, the Beautiful Era began in 1871, when the Franco-Prussian War ended, and lasted until the First World War began in 1914.  The French Third republic enjoyed a time of peace and prosperity and the joi de vivre inspired a golden age of music and literature.  In 1889 the World Trade Fair was held in Paris and the new Eiffel Tower shown to all the visitors.  Many flocked to see Burlesque at the Folies Bergère and Art Nouveau was indeed a new and popular design style.

L'Opera, Paris

In this environment, the dancer Cléo de Mèrode flourished. Descending from Austrian aristocracy, she was enrolled for dancing lessons when she was 7, at the Paris Opera Ballet, making her debut at the age of 11. Her beauty and graceful dancing prompted Degas to include her in his ballet paintings, Alexandre Falguière to sculpt The Dancer, using Cléo as his model and Toulouse Lautrec to paint her portrait.  Many photographs were taken, showing her slim waist and distinctive hairstyle and postcards of her image were avidly collected.

In her private life she enjoyed cycling and playing the piano.  In 1896 King Leopold II of Belgium visited Paris, saying he had come to see Cléo dance.  He sent her dozens of presents and as the 61 year old King had previously had many affairs it was presumed that he was now involved with the 22 year old dancer.  Cléo was horrified at the effect on her reputation and denied any involvement but later choosing to dance at the Follies Bergère did nothing to enhance the public’s opinion of her morals.  Despite this she became an international star.  She earned a great deal of money, briefly acting and dancing in America and when she toured Scandinavia in 1904, she received 3000 love letters from fans.

Cléo de Mèrode continued dancing into her 50s when she retired to the chic seaside resort of Biarritz.  There she gave ballet lessons until she was over 80.  She never married and confessed to only two relationships. When she died in 1966 she was buried in Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris.

The tomb of Cléo de Mèrode