Stacia Napierkowska (born Renée Claire Angèle Élisabeth Napierkowski, 16 September 1891 – 11 May 1945) was a French actress, dancer, and director who worked during the silent film era. She appeared in 86 films between 1908 and 1926.

Biography

She was born Renée Claire Angèle Élisabeth Napierkowski in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

to a

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Polish people, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken * Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin ...

father, Stanisław Artur Napierkowski, and a French mother. Napierkowska began her career with the

Folies Bergère 150px, Stanisław Julian Ignacy Ostroróg">Walery, 1927 The Folies Bergère () is a cabaret music hall in Paris, France. Located at 32 Rue Richer in the 9th Arrondissement, the Folies Bergère was built as an opera house by the arc ...

, where she was noticed by the director of the

Opéra-Comique The Opéra-Comique () is a Paris opera company which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular Théâtre de la foire, theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with – and for a time took the name of – its chief riva ...

who engaged her to perform in the Fêtes Romaines organized at the Théâtre d’Orange. She then acted in early silent films, becoming a star while playing opposite the celebrated Max Linder. In January 1913, she embarked for the United States to launch an international career: While sailing on the ocean liner Lorraine, she encountered the painter,

Francis Picabia Francis Picabia (: born Francis-Marie Martinez de Picabia; 22January 1879 – 30November 1953) was a French avant-garde painter, writer, filmmaker, magazine publisher, poet, and typography, typographist closely associated with Dada. When consid ...

, who went on to produce a series of paintings inspired by her. In

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, she was arrested during a dance performance when it was declared indecent. After returning to France, Napierkowska said, "Really, I have not brought away a single pleasant memory from the United States" and "What a narrow-minded people they are – how utterly impervious to any beautiful impression!" She was immortalised in 1918 by

Konstantinos Dimitriadis Konstantinos Dimitriadis (Κωνσταντίνος Δημητριάδης) (1879 or 1881 - 28 October 1943) was a Greek sculptor who won a gold medal at the art competitions at the 1924 Summer Olympics for his sculpture ''Finnish discus thrower' ...

Nikoleta Tzani, COSTAS DIMITRIADIS (1879-1943) La carrière européenne d’un sculpteur grec, Université de Strasbourg 2012, Vol. 2 and in 1920 by Simon Mondzain (Szymon Mondszajn). As a film actress, she specialized in exotic, seductive roles, including the Salome character as envisioned by

Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Fflahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish author, poet, and playwright. After writing in different literary styles throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular and influential playwright ...

. In 1917, Napierkowska directed the short film ''L'Héritière de la manade''. She died in Paris on 11 May 1945.

Selected filmography

*''Salomé'' (1908), in the title role (French, directed by

Albert Capellani Albert Capellani (23 August 1874 – 26 September 1931) was a French film director and screenwriter of the silent film, silent era. He directed films between 1905 and 1922. One of his brothers was the actor-sculptor Paul Capellani, and anoth ...

) *''

Notre-Dame de Paris Notre-Dame de Paris ( ; meaning "Cathedral of Our Lady of Paris"), often referred to simply as Notre-Dame, is a Medieval architecture, medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité (an island in the River Seine), in the 4th arrondissemen ...

'' (1911), playing Esmeralda *'' Une nuit agitée'' (1912), costarring Max Linder *''

Les Vampires ''Les Vampires'' () is a 1915–1916 French Silent film, silent Crime film, crime serial film written and directed by Louis Feuillade. Set in Paris, it stars Édouard Mathé, Musidora and Marcel Lévesque. The main characters are a journalist an ...

'' (1915), playing Marfa Koutiloff *''La figlia di Erodiade (The Daughter of Herodias)'' 1916, playing Salome *'' L'Atlantide'' (1921), playing Reina Antinea redited as Stacia Napierkorska*''Le Berceau de Dieu (Cradle of God)'' (1926), playing Salome

References

External links

*
Stacia Napierkowska
from the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Napierkowska, Stacia 1890s births 1945 deaths French stage actresses French film actresses French silent film actresses French ballerinas Actresses from Paris 20th-century French actresses French people of Polish descent Burials at Batignolles Cemetery

Biography

Selected filmography

References

Further reading

External links