I return to the studio just in time for competition week. Fine model, good seat, well disposed.
I am almost smitten with Alexis. You understand that is quite something! In my old age I am becoming too silly. We went skating on the Seine at the...
Here is the article from the *Figaro* that amuses me all day long. [Missing] I have brought Joseph luck; obscure and unknown, I have made him...
Yesterday evening the Virgin Mary received a visit from the Archangel Gabriel, coming on behalf of Joseph. She was returning from her studio and...
Paul is getting married. I consent; she wrote to him yesterday and I consent. I am going to tell you why. She adores him and is very eager to marry...
Yesterday at dinner we had the Mouzays and Gaillard. These future geniuses are deplorable. Do you know what he did? He excused himself twice and,...
Paul was to leave but has not left; we go to the Theatre Francais. I arrange myself as Greuze's broken pitcher, which suits me well despite all these...
I must be coming down with an illness, or else it is this odious joke of Berthe's that is killing me. I am so irritated that I would weep for...
Monsieur de Morgan sends a painted cone of pink satin, full of bonbons. Gabriel, the pure one, the exquisite, a pretty candy box with five or six...
We go to the Opera, Mme Gavini and I (for the Opera it is always she who provides the boxes), with the Comte de Chaudordy, Filippini, and the Marquis...
I cough as much as possible, but by some miracle, far from making me ugly, it gives me an air of languor that suits me well.
Soutzo comes to read the play; this takes until four o'clock. At four o'clock to the Gavinis' to discuss the invitations.
Well, things are going badly.
I went to endure an evening at the Mouzays' in order to make the acquaintance of L. Enault, the art critic, and his wife, who is a painter. It is...
Madame Gavini comes to ask after me, for you know I have a dreadful cold, and finds Gabriel, whom I had telegraphed to charge with a role that he...
We are performing "Rain and Fair Weather" by L. Gozlan. The Baronne de Gontran - me. The Unknown Man - Prince Soutzo. Victorine - Dina. Anselme - the...
Multedo has sent blackbirds from Corsica.
I went to Krishaber's to have my throat electrified.
I go to the studio at eight o'clock and at twenty past eleven find myself before our door at the same time as Gabriel and Courtes. We rehearse for...
Madame Gavini came to see us.
That visit to the foyer was childish. Besides, the pale figure of the archangel is fading. Almost nothing remains of yesterday's tender feelings. As...
Mme Adam's ball is not masked but only costumed. Hence hesitations... then the invitations not being in our names. Finally everything is arranged. I...
A great crowd of people. I slip away for an hour to try on at Worth's. It is M. Jean Worth (the son) who attends to me. He constructed the costume on...
We pay many calls. At the Gavinis' there is a crowd. The entire Multedo family, except him. The marquis, the marquise, and Mme Piccioni born Multedo....
Although unwell, I return to work. And at four o'clock Maman comes to fetch me and we go to finish paying our calls. The rue Vivienne being but a...
I return from the studio and learn that old Madame Gavini came expecting to find me keeping to my room, and that she is furious that I do not take...
There is a curious Bonapartist quarrel that you can see in *Le Pays* and *L'Estafette* of these days (with my other collected newspapers). [Missing]
Tony's mother is very ill; it has been three weeks since we have had any critiques. Breslau is doing a portrait of Mgr. Viard for the Salon.
Our Saturdays are well attended. There are few absentees. Mme Pernety comes and says that Mme Gavini is ill, which means that abandoning Mme de...
Filippini sat; I am doing her portrait.
De Daillens thinks I have committed a grave blunder with Mme Adam and that it must be set right. How? Go to see her again and tell her that, the...
We say that I am doing another competition piece. A little girl posed very boldly, in a large Rubens hat and a coat with a fur collar. Life-size, of...
[Word blacked out: Filippini] sat, in the afternoon. He is rather amusing to paint: small, blond, a round face, a yellow moustache, a good-natured...
It is curious how often what one writes the day before is no longer understood the next day.
It has been a good month since I have been to the Bois. Gambetta in a coupe with a lady. Arnaud in a cabriolet likewise. Monkey.
Tolmatcheff to lunch.
We go to see *Le Nabab* at the Vaudeville; it is the fourth performance. The house is very elegant, and we have a considerable parade of *cocottes*....
The Multedo-Satena wedding. It went off delightfully; everything was there: bishop, Queen Isabella, etc., etc., at the church of the Trinite. Berthe...
I am first in the competition. No medal, but they do me the honor of hanging my canvas with the medal winners. On this occasion I offer a punch to...
I would like to do always as today: work from 8 to 12 and from 2 to 5 o'clock. At 5 o'clock they bring the lamps and I draw until half past 7. From...
It is strange that Gabriel sends me nothing. It is fortunate that he is far away; I would like not to see him again. It would lead to nothing... and...
It is today that M. de Miranda presents us to Queen Isabella, in private audience. She is very simple, a very good woman; she extends her hand and...
To church, then to the Gavinis' with Maman, where there are only Randouin and Las Cases and the Count de Bearn, who leaves first, and then the...
I went to see the Exhibition of the Mirlitons with Mlle de Villevieille, at 11 o'clock, leaving an hour earlier from the studio. There is a Detaille...
I had a long conference with old Julian on the subject of my Salon; I submitted two projects which he finds good.
I have taken sketches for my *Question du divorce*. And in the evening we go to the theatre with the Gavinis. It seems that the other evening we made...
I lunch at Mme Gavini's, and we go together to the Chamber. The Amnesty: an exhausted question, but despite that, a great session; a first.
Fifth sitting of Kiki.
Sixth sitting. Gabriel's toys bring me others. Kiki gave me six boxes of lead soldiers and other things, and a little cat that one winds up and that...
My old harpist sends two tickets for the Conservatoire, and I go there with Maman, leaving at home the Poitrineaus, Wodzinski, and Kiki who was...
We go to the Queen's, who is very gracious. I am still looking for a heap of things for my painting.
Wodzinsky and Kiki to lunch. Sitting missed; the Poitrineaus arrive. They are stupid and ridiculous because the daughter thinks she is going to marry...
Rouher was to speak, and we go to the Chamber, Gambetta's gallery, [Words blacked out: the session is very] tedious, and at four o'clock, Rouher...
Julian came to my studio this morning and we looked together for poses for the *Divorce*. I hope to begin tomorrow. Seventh sitting of Kiki, and then...
I go to hear M. Rouher's speech, and I must admit that despite the aridity of the subject, it was interesting. And then Rouher is an orator: no...
There was an enormous crowd, diplomatic corps, etc., at the Te Deum on the occasion of the miraculous way in which the Emperor escaped a new nihilist...
My habitual existence [Words blacked out: seems all unhinged.] There is nothing new, but I feel something disagreeable coming, I know not what.
While running after the model Leonie, I have made the acquaintance of almost the entire honorable Beaudoin family. It is pure Zola, Zola of *Nana*;...
Courtes bored me all evening talking about art and artists.
We sent flowers from Nice to the Queen, and today we receive her card:
Tchernicheff to lunch; he is passing through. There are several who come and go and leave. I tell you this to explain certain names you see appearing...
This evening at the Italian Opera. *Il Trovatore* with Patti and Nicolini. One sympathizes with these lovers, but it is, I believe, because M. de...
Now I must not go out in the evening any more, so as to be up without fatigue and work from eight o'clock. I have only sixteen days left.
Soutzo came to bring me feathers.
A great crowd; the salon is truly packed. Saint-Amand stays two and a half hours and says I am his daughter.
I work constantly but there is still nothing painted. And I have only until the 20th of March. If I make it, it will be amusing.
At the Italiens: Dina, the Gavinis, Rosita de Miranda, and Courtes.
We go to the Mouzays'.
A telegram from Russia:
Julian came to see my painting; he found the plush-covered table, the book, and the flowers very good. The rest will come; the whole has style, it is...
Useless dramas. Everything is settled; on Saturday reassuring telegrams were received. There is nothing serious. Old Bashkirtseff proposes to Paul,...
As soon as I was assured that Dina would stay, I regretted it. I hate to be disturbed, even in grief. And besides it would have been better, for she...
Here is a letter from L. Enault of the *Moniteur des Arts*. No doubt Mme de Mouzay spoke to him about me. And the painting that is not coming along....
Berthe came; Louis Enault arrived immediately after and praised my work. "Vigorous," "virile." And at a quarter to noon, Tony! Why did I not begin...
I go out to complete the formalities of registration forms, etc., etc. At the Salon there is a crowd and paintings and wagons and artists!
I wrote a pile of notes and letters yesterday -- to Enault, to Andrieux, to Blanc, and to artists: to Saint-Marceaux, to M. de Caillas, Beaumetz,...
I made the acquaintance the other evening at the Mouzays' of M. Horace de Caillas and his friend Beaumetz. They had invited me to come see their...
Soutzo brings me Count Lepic, who is a painter and crackpot. This man irritated me with advice I had no use for, but it seems it will earn me a few...
Tony came but did not worry me about anything in the painting... except a flower in the damask of the dress. At six o'clock we are still there...
I give the last touches to the painting, but I can no longer work; there is nothing more to do, or everything to do over. It is finished, for...
I have nothing to do, I am resting, and now the troubles begin. First, that idiot Soutzo gave my name, and with Lepic they put in *L'Evenement*:...
We took communion, all three of us: Maman, Dina, and I. Afterward, I have breakfast; Mouzay is going to pester some gentleman or other who apparently...
Madame de Brimond came to our house.
Last night the most unexpected and astonishing scene, although I have seen quite a few. For four or five days I have been asking for the five hundred...
The Dowager Duchess de Fitz-James, who is president of the Little Sisters of the Assumption charity, invites us to take part in a sale, and we...
I am out of sorts! I should have listened to Tony and rested... I go to pester Julian, to whom I give the following note:
We pay visits and then go to the Horse Show. I send to the atelier a crate of oranges emptied and filled with paper. I send word to Tony that Julian...
I run around the shops.
Courtes goes off to his Angouleme. Our usual company. Soutzo sends a marvelous basket from Labrousse's of flowers -- roses, camellias, lilacs, etc....
I painted a little head of a Parisienne in a large black hat and otter-skin coat, a bouquet of violets, her head tilted to the side, laughing. I...
Prince Napoleon has spoken, and *L'Estafette* publishes the letter, which I place in my album.
We sell fancy goods, a heap of small items, cigars, cigarettes, etc. My framed painting dominates the booth. We know only the Duchess de Fitz-James...
The sale is more lively. I have my green dress, which causes a real sensation by its simplicity and my figure. Soutzo, Wodzinski, Lahovari, the...
Kiki, twenty francs for a cigarette; Las Cases, twenty francs; Rouzat, ten francs; Plancy, ten francs; Morgan, ten francs; Chaudordy, twenty francs....
There are fully forty saleswomen; nearly ten thousand francs were raised, with a thousand to my credit. So I am greatly petted by the ladies, by the...
Few people. M. Moliner, a wealthy Cuban introduced the other evening.
I go to bring strawberries to Mme Gavini and find there Chaudordy, Valentine, and Las Cases.
I shall work all day this week at No. 37. Mlle de Villevieille comes in the afternoons to work with me all week.
Monsieur Anitchkoff has arrived from St. Petersburg.
For two or three days now Cassagnac has been the father of a son — an important event, since the child will perhaps present himself one day as a...
The costume ball a complete failure. Few people and no one amusing. But I dance with Daillens, Caillas, and two others — and Dina as a ravishing...
Being in the mood for something wild, I played baccarat with Soutzo for absurd sums — differences of three and four thousand francs for amusement —...
We dine at the Mirandas'. A charming mezzanine in a new building, comfortable service, a well-kept household; elegant guests.
At the Duchess de Fitz-James's.
I return to the studio for the week.
An improvised luncheon, most merry. Mme Gavini returning from a wedding, Saint-Amand, Mme de Bailleul, and Soutzo. Saint-Amand is very excited; he...
But all that vexes me, and something else besides... hostilities, if not enemies, everywhere. Alexandre Dumas — at whose house they speak ill of us —...
Saint-Amand, to whom I had written a note concerning the placing of my painting, arrived around one o'clock, and having written in my presence to the...
We go to see *La vie de Bohème*, which I already knew.