Rosalie Léon

Research Status: Basic Last Updated: 2025-07-05 Diary Coverage: Up to 1874-03-21

Identity

Woman in Nice society. Originally thought to be fictional name for Wittgenstein in "Les Décavés," but appears to be real person.

Diary References

1874

• January 27: Marie notes that in "Les Décavés," Wittgenstein is called Rosalie Léon.
• March 21: Seen as real person: "Cette détestable Rosalie Léon se promène en coupé avec une petite fille de cinq à six ans. Elle est laide et vieille et à un air pincé et la face couverte de taches de rousseur" (This detestable Rosalie Léon rides in a coupé with a little girl of 5-6 years. She is ugly and old with a pinched air and face covered with freckles).

Context

• Initially appears as fictional name in novel
• Actually real person Marie dislikes
• Has child or ward aged 5-6
• Drives in coupé (sign of wealth)
• Marie finds her detestable, ugly, old
• Freckled face and pinched expression

• «La bella Zigouzin» (merged entry ZIGOUZIN): 12 January 1874 on the Promenade, «La bella Zigouzin se promenait en voiture de malade. Son époux l'a battue, nous supposons», just after Marie has seen Wittgenstein with Lambertye (015.0129). Mon Journal t.3 index: «Léon (Mme Rosalie) [Zigouzin] [La Wittgenstein] demi-mondaine».