MLLE BLANCHE MANTE : OPERA SINGER : PAINTED BY EDGAR DEGAS : POSTCARD 1904

Description

This vintage postcard features opera singer and actress, Blanche Mante (1877-1964). Blanche had two sisters who also were opera singers. Blanche, Louise, and Suzanne Mante were photographed together for a number of photo postcards. Celebrated artist, Edgar Degas, did a pastel of two young dancers standing with their mother at the Paris Opera. Degas was acquainted with many people  The subjects were Blanche, Suzanne, and their mother. Mom is seen helping one of the daughters with their hair. Blanche and Suzanne were taking ballet lessons at the theatre. Degas was acquainted with many of the people employed at the theatre. He knew Blanche's father, who was a musician in the theatre's orchestra. The sisters later graduated from dance school and became members of the corps de ballet and performed on the opera stage. Blanche appeared in one movie. It was a short, Opera de Paris (1936). She played a singer. This postcard photo was expertly taken by renowned French photographer, Paul Boyer (1861-1908). He photographed many famous people during his career. The card has a French stamp and a 1904 postmark. The postcard is in very good condition (see scans).