Museums Showcase 18th Century Society History
In the world of art and history, the story of Parisian music hall singer and stage actress, Gilda Darthy (1878-1952), remains somewhat shrouded in mystery. Despite her renowned career spanning France and the United States, and her reputation as a patron of the arts, a comprehensive account of her life and art collection remains elusive.
Darthy's most notable performance was as the third person to play Roxanne in the classic play Cyrano de Bergerac. However, when it comes to her personal life and art collection, the current search results offer little more than her general context.
One intriguing artifact that has come to light is a 18th-century bed that Darthy sold at auction in Paris in 1923. This piece of furniture, with its well-documented history, was stored at Carlhian's warehouse, not by Darthy herself. Its visit by Henri de Rothschild implies that he may have accompanied Darthy, but only his name was recorded in Carlhian's records, which refer to him as "M. de Rothschild."
This episode underscores the erasure of women from the art historical record, suggesting that Darthy may not have been able to form her own collection. The newspapers of the time focused more on Darthy's social life rather than her collecting practices or acting career, with the exception of the time of the auction.
Photos of Darthy, mainly taken by the Reutlinger studio, show a confident, stylish lady with an interest in 18th-century styles, hinting at her potential passion for art and antiques. Contemporary sources such as newspapers and magazines provide evidence of this interest.
The bed, one of the highlights of the auction, boasted original upholstery, a feature preserved even today, albeit with modern fabrics in a historic pattern. The museum houses the original upholstery in storage for researchers to examine.
The auction catalog contained a variety of artworks, including paintings attributed to Francois Boucher and Francesco Guardi, a sculpture by Francesco Ladatte, and Chinese cloisonné enamel vases.
The lack of documentation of Darthy's collecting activities highlights the way history tends to treat women one-dimensionally, often relegating them to supporting roles in the historical narrative. Discovering the diverse stories of women like Darthy requires some digging, but it is a journey worth undertaking.
The article about Darthy's bed was originally published by The Iris on March 24, 2021, under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. The author of the article is Matthew McIntosh. The article can be found on McIntosh's website.
As we continue to uncover the stories of women like Gilda Darthy, we not only enrich our understanding of the past but also challenge the one-dimensional narratives that have long dominated history.
Darthy's passion for art and antiques, as indicated by photos from the Reutlinger studio, may have extended to her home decor, hinting at an interest in interior-design, especially considering the 18th-century styled lady she appeared to be. The selling of a 18th-century bed at auction aligns with a possible lifestyle centered around home-and-garden, as she showcased a collection of artworks, including pieces by Francois Boucher and Francesco Guardi, which could be considered elements of home decor.
