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Mademoiselle Mars (pseudonym of Anne Françoise Hyppolyte Boutet Salvetat; 9 February 1779 – 20 March 1847), French actress, was born in Paris, the natural daughter of the actor-author named Monvel (Jacques Marie Boutet) (1745–1812) and Jeanne-Marie Salvetat (1748–1838), an actress known as Madame Mars, whose southern accent had made her Paris debut a failure.
She was incomparable in ingenue parts, and equally charming as the coquette. 
By her liaison with a Swiss-born French soldier, Nicolas Bronner (1773–1816), she had three children: a son, who died at birth; Louis-Alphonse (born 14 March 1799), and a daughter, Hippolyte (1800-31 March 1820).
Mademoiselle Mars retired following 1841 and died in Paris on 20 March 1847. She and her children are buried in Pere Lachaise cemetery; sharing the tomb is the body of her niece, an actress known as Georgina Mars (died 1828).
Life
Mlle Mars began her stage career in children's parts, and by 1799, after the rehabilitation of theComédie-Française
The Comédie-Française () or Théâtre-Français () is one of the few state theatres in France. Founded in 1680, it is the oldest active theatre company in the world. Established as a French state-controlled entity in 1995, it is the only state ...
, she and her elder half-sister (Marie-Louise-Geneviève Salvetat, called Louise and known professionally as Mlle Mars ''aînée'') joined that company, of which she remained an active member for 33 years. Her beauty and talents soon placed her at the top of her profession.
She was incomparable in ingenue parts, and equally charming as the coquette. Molière
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (, ; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, , ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language and worl ...
, Marivaux
Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de Marivaux (4 February 1688 – 12 February 1763), commonly referred to as Marivaux, was a French playwright and novelist.
He is considered one of the most important French playwrights of the 18th century, writing num ...
, Michel-Jean Sedaine
Michel-Jean Sedaine (2 June 1719 – 17 May 1797) was a French dramatist and librettist, especially noted for his librettos for '' opéras comiques'', in which he took an important and influential role in the advancement of the genre from th ...
, and Pierre Beaumarchais
Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (; 24 January 1732 – 18 May 1799) was a French polymath. At various times in his life, he was a watchmaker, inventor, playwright, musician, diplomat, spy, publisher, horticulturist, arms dealer, satirist, ...
had no more accomplished interpreter, and in her career of half a century, besides many comedy roles of the older repertoire, she created fully a hundred parts in plays which owed success largely to her. She also helped educate foreign actors, among them the Swedish actors Charlotta Eriksson
Charlotta Maria Eriksson (née Lambert; 11 February 1794 – 21 April 1862) was a Swedish stage actress. She was also an instructor and deputy principal of the Royal Dramatic Training Academy. She belonged to the elite actors of the Royal D ...
and Emilie Högquist
Emilie Sophie Högquist or Högqvist (29 April 1812 – 18 December 1846) was a Swedish stage actress. She was a star of the Royal Dramatic Theatre and has been referred to as the first celebrity within Swedish drama and known as the Swedish ...
. For her farewell performance she selected Elmire in ''Tartuffe
''Tartuffe, or The Impostor, or The Hypocrite'' (; french: Tartuffe, ou l'Imposteur, ), first performed in 1664, is a theatrical comedy by Molière. The characters of Tartuffe, Elmire, and Orgon are considered among the greatest classical thea ...
'', and Silvia in ''Jeu de l'amour et du hasard'', two of her most popular roles; and for her benefit, a few days after, Climène in ''Le Misanthrope
''The Misanthrope, or the Cantankerous Lover'' (french: Le Misanthrope ou l'Atrabilaire amoureux; ) is a 17th-century comedy of manners in verse written by Molière. It was first performed on 4 June 1666 at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal, Paris b ...
'' and Araminthe in '' Les Femmes savantes''.
By her liaison with a Swiss-born French soldier, Nicolas Bronner (1773–1816), she had three children: a son, who died at birth; Louis-Alphonse (born 14 March 1799), and a daughter, Hippolyte (1800-31 March 1820).
Mademoiselle Mars retired following 1841 and died in Paris on 20 March 1847. She and her children are buried in Pere Lachaise cemetery; sharing the tomb is the body of her niece, an actress known as Georgina Mars (died 1828).
References
*External links
* * * 1779 births 1847 deaths 19th-century French actresses French stage actresses Sociétaires of the Comédie-Française Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery {{france-stage-actor-stub