Guy Lochhead, 24/08/10
French courtesan and mistress to a number of prominent and wealthy men. Duplessis used her good looks to charm men into giving her money for her company, which she then used to fund her education. She was the inspiration for many contemporary ‘fictional’ characters. She died of tuberculosis aged 23, and her funeral was attended by hundreds of people. Duplessis was, as all ‘courtesans’ are, a glorified prostitute, but she was apparently different in using that position to gather together ‘high society’. Still, she lived off the sadness and loneliness created by social problems that still exist today. Heterosexual company is still something to aspire to. Figures such as Duplessis have existed for a long time. People still work too hard and don’t understand each other. People still have an advantage if they’re born pretty. It’s not something good.