The compelling new biography of the legendary mistress of King Louis XV of France offers a dramatic insight into the life of one of the most enchanting, powerful and feared women to grace the world's stage.
At the age of 10 she was told by a fortune-teller that she would become the king's mistress, and was thereafter groomed for the role. Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson underwent a number of transformations before she captivated the king and was officially recognised as his maitresse declaree.
The court was shocked at her sudden ascension, but the newcomer wasted no time, quickly establishing herself as the king's sole confidante and, ultimately, his indispensable partner in affairs of state.
Algrant looks at the influence of this favourite of the king on the artistic and political spectrum of the day, examining her relationships with the leaders of the French Enlightenment: Voltaire, Rousseau and Diderot.
Evocative and insightful, 'Madame de Pompadour' is a seductive portrait of a fascinating woman.
