From left, Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau, Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, Marchesa Luisa Casati, Joanna Hiffernan and Evelyn Nesbit

I am particularly fascinated with women that don’t fit into the standard mold of femininity, that push the envelope a little, or at times, a lot. Historically, it seems these are the most sought after muses for everything from film, to art, to fashion, to books – and it’s no wonder, their intriguing lives have a way of drawing you in, inspiring you to capture just a modicum of their “je ne sais quoi.” I’ve been wanting to write about a few of these misbehaving dames for a while now, and I can’t put it off any longer.

After the jump, tales of murder, love triangles, lesbian affairs, rule-breaking fashion and provacative paintings. 

Sidonie Gabrielle Colette

French novelist Sidonie Gabrielle Colette (Jan. 28, 1873 – Aug. 3, 1954), pen name “Colette,” is well known for writing Gigi, and her recently adapted to film novel, Chéri. She had various affairs with both men and women, including Mathilde de Morny, with whom she performed in Rêve d’Égypte at the Moulin Rouge. The pantomime was banned after their onstage kiss almost caused a riot. She later had a notorious affair with her stepson Bertrand de Jouvenel, which began when he was only 16 years old and she was in her late 40s. I’m itching to read Judith Thurman’s Secrets of the Flesh: A Life of Colette for more insight into the life of this evocative writer.

Evelyn Nesbit

I first read about Evelyn Nesbit (Dec. 25, 1884 - Jan. 17, 1967) – artists’ model, chorus girl, Gibson Girl – in E. L. Doctorow’s historical fiction novel, Ragtime. Her photos are mesmerizing, but her story is much darker than her innocent images portray. First, her relationship with Stanford White, which began when he was 47 and she was 16, then marriage to Harry Thaw, a cocaine addict and physical abuser who killed White out of jealousy, and finally two sensationalized murder trials of the “Crime of the Century.” There’s an interesting interview with Paula Uruburu, author of “American Eve: Evelyn Nesbit, Stanford White, and the Crime of the Century” here.

Marchesa Luisa Casati

Italian heiress, muse and patroness of the arts, Luisa Casati Stampa di Soncino, Marchesa di Roma(Jan. 23, 1881 – June 1, 1957) captivated Europeans for decades and has since inspired painters, authors, fashion designers and moviemakers with her eccentric lifestyle. She was known for strolling with leashed cheetahs in nothing but a fur coat, wearing live snakes as jewelry and her outlandish parties with nude servants gilded in gold and wax mannequins seated at the dining table. She inspired Cartier’s Panther design, is the namesake behind the Marchesa fashion house, and is said to be the inspiration behind many novel and movie characters.

Joanna Hiffernan

Joanna “Jo” Hiffernan(1843 – after 1903), artists’ model and muse, was in a six year relationship with American painter James Abbott McNeill Whistler, during which time she modeled for “Symphony in White, No. 1: The White Girl.” While it was scandalous enough at the time that she was an unmarried artists’ model, the real shocker came when she started modeling for Whistler’s friend, French painter Gustave Courbet. Whistler and Courbet had a falling out, likely because Hiffernan and Courbet were having an affair at the time of the four paintings she modeled for him. This would make sense, since it is strongly believed that Hiffernan is the model for Courbet’s controversial “L’Origine du monde.”

Madame Pierre Gautreau

Parisian socialite and artists’ model, Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau (Jan. 29, 1859 – 1915) was the model for John Singer Sargent’s painting “Portrait of Madame X,” which caused quite the scandal at the time. Known for her avant-garde style and numerous affairs, Sargent’s painting, gave Gautreau notoriety, but not in the manner she had hoped. Originally, the right shoulder strap was hanging off the shoulder, and the combination of this and the “erotic” suggestion of her dress, pale skin and pose, caused viewers to be shocked and Gautreau to retreat from the public’s eye. For more insight into lives of Sargent and Gautreau and the painting itself, I plan to read “Strapless,” by Deborah Davis.