Frederick the Great, Discussion Post 19

[cahn]

Yuletide nominations:

18th Century CE Federician RPF
Maria Theresia | Maria Theresa of Austria
Voltaire
Friedrich II von Preußen | Frederick the Great
Ernst Ahasverus von Lehndorff
Friedrich Heinrich Ludwig von Preußen | Henry of Prussia (1726-1802)
Wilhelmine von Preußen | Wilhelmine of Prussia (1709-1758)
Anna Amalie von Preußen | Anna Amalia of Prussia (1723-1787)
Catherine II of Russia
Hans Hermann von Katte
Peter Karl Christoph von Keith
Michael Gabriel Fredersdorf
August Wilhelm von Preußen | Augustus William of Prussia (1722-1758)

Circle of Voltaire RPF
Emilie du Chatelet
Jeanne Antoinette Poisson (Madame de Pompadour)
John Hervey (1696-1743)
Marie Louise Mignot Denis
Lady Mary Wortley-Montagu
Pierre Louis Moreau de Maupertuis
Armand de Vignerot du Plessis de Richelieu (1696-1788)
Francesco Algarotti

Comments

Re: Random things

[mildred_of_midgard]

While we're pulling numbers from Davidson, he tells me the the nude statue by Pigalle was expected to cost between £12,000 and £15,000, and Fritz subscribed £4,800. Not bad! I see what your priorities are, Fritz. :P

They had thought of limiting the subscription to men of letters, with the inscription To the living Voltaire, by men of letters his compatriots, but then they decided to open the list to anybody, in the hope that the great and the good from all over Europe would want to contribute.

Voltaire was flattered but embarrassed. ‘It is not likely, my dear philosopher,’ he wrote to d’Alembert, ‘that it will be To the living Voltaire; it will be To the dying Voltaire, for I am coming to my end. It would not be bad if Frederick joined the list of subscribers; it would save the generous men of letters some money, of which they do not have much. In any event, he owes me some reparation.’

I'm sure Catherine could have helped save the men of letters some money too, but I see Voltaire's mind goes straight to his ex.

Apparently nobody wanted the statue: it stayed in Pigelle's studio until after Voltaire's (and Madame Denis'?) death, then it went to Madame Denis' family, then they gave it to the Académie Française, where it languished until 1962, when the Louvre finally put it on display.

I say you all are missing your chance to put it up next to the Antinous statue. :P

* Oh, I'd meant to share this one a long time ago, it's from young Voltaire, writing to his mistress back in 1724, trying to get her to come visit him while he was sick:

Unfortunately, he went on to make matters worse with a graphic description of his latest affliction: ‘Come back to Paris as soon as possible, I beg you. You will find me with a horrible scabies which covers the whole of my body. Fortunately, I know you have enough virtue and friendship to put up with a poor leper like me. When you return, we shall not kiss, but our hearts will speak.’

Davidson comments: Unsurprisingly, she stayed in Normandy, and Voltaire remained alone and ill.

I'm sorry, but I laughed.

Re: Random things

[cahn]

Unsurprisingly, she stayed in Normandy, and Voltaire remained alone and ill.

HAHAHAHA. Oh Voltaire, never change.