Getting started with the collection:
The Female Knight d’Éon de Beaumont
Christian Fritzsch (mentioned on object), 1774 - 1803
Originally French, d’Éon was regarded as a woman in England, where she spent the latter decades of her life. Her earlier life as a man was no secret. This portrait is from a 1779 biography and shows us that choosing the right pronouns was important at that time too. On page 2 it says: ‘The Knight d’Éon (whom we will no longer call the Female Knight, before she has once more assumed the dress of her sex).’
- Artwork typeprint, boekillustratie
- Object numberRP-P-OB-116.053
- Dimensionsheight 136 mm x width 78 mm