LAURENT, Mery
1849-1900

A woman of great charm and beauty, she was described as an indifferent actress but a courtesan of genius. The mistress of Dr Evans, Mery became an intimate friend of Mallarme and Manet whom she met at his 1876 studio exhibition and who made many portraits of her in oils and pastel. She expressed great pleasure in seeing the pictures at the exhibit and rapport between them so great that Manet gave her one of his versions of The Execution of Maximilian. During the last days of Manet's lfe she sent him flowers and delicacies and even after his death she put lilacs on his grave.