Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923) was born in France and over the course of her lifetime became the first truly international celebrity actor. Born to a courtesan in Paris, Bernhardt was virtually ignored by her mother for much of her childhood, being raised by a nanny and educated in a convent. This treatment, it is believed, led to her particularly sensitive, nervous and dramatic temperament the rest of her life, and her life motto, Quand mme, which means In spite of all, or No matter what. Not happy with Sarahs decision to become a nun, one of her mothers clients arranged for Sarah to enter the Conservatoire, the training school for the Comdie Franaise, in 1860. After finishing her training and an unimpressive debut at the Comdie, she left that company after having an impetuous argument with one of the older actresses. Brief appearances at smaller theatres and an absence during which she had a child led to her resurfacing at the Odon theatre in 1866, where she began her rise to notoriety with such plays as Le Passant and Victor Hugos Ruy Blas. By 1872, she had become quite popular and the Comdie wanted her back. Paying a fine for leaving her contract at the Odon was acceptable to the shrewd Bernhardt, who was only interested in advancing her career. She signed a twenty year contract with the Comdie and began making hits in plays such as Phdre and Hernani. Her celebrity rose even higher as her eccentric behavior became known in the press. She was known for sleeping in a coffin at the foot of her bed and having a human skeleton in her bedroom, as well as having a rather exotic collection of pets, including a tortoise and an alligator. She had a fascination with death and believed she would die young, rehearsing for the event by playing as many heroines with death scenes as she could. Her acting style was highly melodramatic, relying on facial expressions, planned gestures, and her rich voice to create passionate and tortured characters. In 1880 she continued her tradition of breaking her contracts and left the Comdie Franaise for more extensive fame. Over the next forty years she would tour to virtually every habitable continent of the world and make millions of dollars, earning herself the title, The Divine Sarah. This postcard is a tinted photographic postcard of Mme. Bernhardt in her personal wardrobe from a plate by Reutlinger. Mme. Bernhardt is pictured in a black dress with a red-tinted bodice and high collar made of black feathers. She wears several necklaces that were either of silver or gold construction, but these have been left untinted. Her hair is tinted to strawberry blond. Such extravagant clothing and adornment were normal for Bernhardt. She had her own style and was a fashion trendsetter with her wardrobe of fine materials embellished . . . with swags, chains, corsages, ruffles, furbelows, and boas (Ockman 39). She was also known for wearing a chinchilla coat virtually year-round over her vast collection of satin, jeweled, and feathered garments. Bernhardt is depicted on the left hand side of the front of the card, leaving the right hand side for correspondence. The back of the card is undivided and contains French instructions for use: Ce ct est exclusivement reserve ladresse. (This side is exclusively reserved for address) The card was never used. Production(s) represented: Qunicy Adams Sawyer.