(1804-1876)
Notice it's "George" without the "s". It was a subtil hint concerning her alias as a writer as it represented the never-heard-before-almost-never-used feminized version of Georges. She added to the confusion (and to the provocation) by frequently dressing-up as a man. And that wasn't even a gay revendication (that will come later, patience girls) because she loved men, and she loved them passionately...
The two big passions of her life were Alfred de Musset and Frederic Chopin (no less).
This portrait shows her painted by Auguste Charpentier in 1838. She was 34 years old then. It was the year she met Chopin. At first he was repelled by this 4"6' tall woman with big eyes who smoked big cigars, but little did he know that she had decided to conquer him... and she did!
She became the first woman of the 19th century to make a living from her writing (she was therefore the only woman invited to those "men only" litterary diners).
Her life was/is a novel. I'm sorry to cut my long story short but I've got to finish this website which was due to be published last year and I can't hold it any longer!
But maybe I can tell you more about her at the Museum of Romantic Life? (now, can you think of a better name for a museum?). It's a tiny but adorable museum between Opera Garnier and the Moulin Rouge where they keep this portrait of her and a lot more memorabilia. Just saying...
Now, why do you think she chose the pen-name "George Sand"? (notwithstanding the fact that it would have been a bad idea to use her real name which was Amantine Aurore Lucile Dupin de Francueil, Baroness Dudevant). If you ask me, I'll tell you!
And if we go to the Loire Valley for 3 days (or more) we could visit her house at Nohant. Just saying...