Letters from Clotilde

The name Clotilde is synonymous with charm, elegance, many talents and, above all, kindness. The woman whose name it was, guided and inspired my mother, her niece. Clotilde was the artist who gave her a deep respect for the arts, a true desire for beauty, a lasting pleasure in painting. She was the seamstress who transmitted to my mother her love for fabrics and fashion. Thanks to a scrapbook, some letters, post-cards and objects kept by my mother, as well as genealogical research, I discovered many facts which enlightened us on the origins and destiny of this beloved Clotilde. Clotilde's diligent correspondence, with her friends and close family members, describes the fascinating life of this Parisian confronted with events that have marked the French for half a century. Her letters and postcards also reveal the personality and feelings of this attentive and compassionate lady, and her hopes concerning the fate of the women of her time and the legitimacy of their expectations.