French Faces

Frederick The Monk · 308702. Wed Apr 02, 2008 4:54 am

Question: Who is the most kissed woman in France?

(edit by Flash: perhaps "most kissable" gives more scope)

Forfeits: Sarkozy's wife

Answer: L’Inconnue de la Seine

Notes
In 1900 a plaster cast of a beautiful young woman's face appeared on the market in Paris. It was said that this was the death mask of an unidentified young suicide who had been pulled out of the Seine earlier in the year. The pathologist at the morgue who dealt with the body had been so overcome by her beauty and the look of peace on her face that he took a plaster mask so he could always remember her and it was copies of this mask that were now appearing for sale.

The cast, with its tragic story, became an overnight success with writers, artists and musicians fighting to get hold of a copy to put in their studios. Nabakov wrote a poem about her called “L’Inconnue de la Seinne,” Man Ray photographed her, Albert Camus called her 'The Drowned Mona Lisa", and Louis Aragon had a character in his book Aurélien try to ressurect her.

It was perhaps this last work that led to her becomming the most kissed woman of all time. The face of the unknown girl was used by Peter Safar and Asmund Laerdal in 1958 as the face for 'Rescue Annie', the first aid mannequin used to teach CPR. So an unidentified suicide went on to save thousands of lives with a kiss. - how romantic is that!

Critic A. Alvarez wrote in his book on suicide, The Savage God: "I am told that a whole generation of German girls modeled their looks on her." and the Inconnue became the erotic ideal of the period, as Bardot was for the 1950s. He thinks that German actresses like Elisabeth Bergner modeled themselves on her. She was finally displaced as a paradigm by Greta Garbo."

Links to:

Sources: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/dec/01/france.art
Influence and authenticity of l'Inconnue de la Seine By Anja Zeidler
http://www.sja.org.uk/sja/about-us/our-museum.aspx?utm_source=NHQ&utm_medium=ShortcutUrl&utm_term=%2Fmuseum%2F&utm_campaign=2008-Mar

Frederick The Monk · 308705. Wed Apr 02, 2008 4:56 am

Here she is:

PICTURE RESEARCHERS

Frederick The Monk · 308706. Wed Apr 02, 2008 4:57 am

And again:

PICTURE RESEARCHERS

Frederick The Monk · 308708. Wed Apr 02, 2008 4:58 am

And again:

PICTURE RESEARCHERS

Frederick The Monk · 308710. Wed Apr 02, 2008 5:03 am

Perhaps we could try to get a 'Rescue Annie' in the studio - then Stephen can ask the panel if they'd like to meet the most kissed woman in history.

They are made by Laerdal who also make 'Choking Charlie' and 'Crash Kelly'.

PICTURE RESEARCHERS/ PROPS

96aelw · 308720. Wed Apr 02, 2008 5:11 am

L'Inconnue is also discussed here post 293361 and following; there is some doubt as to the original story.

Frederick The Monk · 308735. Wed Apr 02, 2008 5:17 am

I don't think the questions over the original story hurts the question though. It's a great story and the earliest explanation of who the girl was.

96aelw · 308792. Wed Apr 02, 2008 5:49 am

Oh, absolutely. Just thought it was worth noting while we were here, that's all.

Frederick The Monk · 309621. Thu Apr 03, 2008 5:01 am

Absolutely - should certainly be in Stephen's notes.