#1 stunner.
Ernest Hemingway once called Josephine Josephine, 1763–1814, empress of the French (1804–9) as the consort of Napoleon I. Born Marie Josèphe Rose Tascher de la Pagerie in Martinique, she was married in 1779 to Alexandre de Beauharnais. Two children were born, Eugène (later viceroy of Italy) and Hortense (later queen of Holland). Josephine's husband was guillotined during the French Revolution, in 1794, but she escaped with brief imprisonment. Baker "the most sensational woman anybody ever saw, or ever will." Pablo Picasso described her as "tall, coffee skin, ebony ebony, common name for members of the Ebenaceae, a family of trees and shrubs widely distributed in warmer climates and in the tropics. The principal genus, Diospyros, includes both ebony and persimmon trees. Ebony wood, valued from ancient times, is hard and dark; it is extensively used for piano keys and in cabinetmaking, especially the black Macassar ebony of India and the East Indies. Several species (notably D. eyes, legs of paradise, a smile to end all smiles." Adored by fans, the American-born European performer received extravagant gifts of jewelry and cars from admirers, plus nearly 1,500 marriage proposals. Now, her hometown of St. Louis is honoring her with a centennial birthday celebration of photos, posters, drawings, prints, and paintings documenting her legacy. Josephine Baker: Image and Icon will be on display at the History of Jazz Galleries at The Sheldon Art Gallery through Aug. 26. Plus, her movies are now out on DVD. See "Dance Magazine Recommends," page 54.
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