The Hector Berlioz Website - Berlioz Photos and Portraits 6

The Hector Berlioz Website

Berlioz Photo Album : Family

Section 1: Parental family

Here are portraits of some members of Berlioz’s parental family. See also Berlioz family tree in our La Côte Saint-André pages. Unless otherwise stated, the original copies the pictures are in the Hector Berlioz Museum, La Côte Saint-André.

Louis-Joseph Berlioz, Hector’s grandfather (1747-1815)

Berlioz’s grandfather was born in the family home at La Côte Saint-André.
The above picture is courtesy of Alexandre Moulin et al., La Côte Saint André en Isère (Gillonnay: Alexandre Moulin, 2005).

Dr Louis-Joseph Berlioz, Hector’s father (1776-1848)

This portrait shows Berlioz’s father in 1802, at the age of 26 (see also below). The young Dr Berlioz married Mlle Marie-Antoinette-Joséphine Marmion at Meylan, near Grenoble, on 7 February 1803. The couple lived in his home at La Côte Saint-André where their first son Hector was born on 11 December 1803.
The above picture is courtesy of Alexandre Moulin et al., La Côte Saint André en Isère (Gillonnay: Alexandre Moulin, 2005).

Dr Louis-Joseph Berlioz, Hector’s father (1776-1848)

This portrait was painted around 1840.

Nanci Pal, Hector’s elder sister (1806-1850)

Nanci was three years younger than Berlioz but was the older of his two surviving sisters.

Adèle Suat, Hector’s younger sister (1814-1860)

She lived with her husband Marc Suat and her two daughters, Joséphine and Nanci, in Vienne near La Côte Saint André.

Adèle Suat, Hector’s younger sister

Monique Nety (1792-1857)

Madame Nety was Berlioz family’s much-loved housekeeper, and was in their service until her death in 1857.
Madame Nety’s photo and Adèle Suat’s second picture are courtesy of H Berlioz, épisodes de la vie d’un artiste (Grenoble, Glénat / Musée Hector Berlioz, 2003), edited by Madame Chantal Spillemaecker, conservateur du musée Hector-Berlioz; we are most grateful to her.

Colonel Félix Marmion, Berlioz’s maternal uncle (1787-1869 )

Mathilde Pal, Nanci’s daughter (1833-1903)

Joséphine Suat, Adèle’s elder daughter (1840-1919)

Nanci Suat, Adèle’s younger daughter (1842-1880)

The original copies of the photos of Berlioz’s nieces are in the collection of the Association nationale Hector Berlioz, based on the premises of the Berlioz Museum.

Section 2: Marital family

Berlioz married twice and had only one child. The original copies of some of the pictures of Berlioz’s wives and son on display here are in the Hector Berlioz Museum in La Côte Saint-André.

Harriet Constance Smithson (1800-1854)
Berlioz’s first wife

Berlioz first saw Harriet Smithson in September 1827 at the Théâtre de l’Odéon playing in Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet, in the roles of Ophelia and Juliet respectively. Berlioz and Miss Smithson married on 3 October 1833 at the British Embassy in Paris. Berlioz always called her Henriette; she was his Ophelia. She died on 3 March 1854 in a house at Montmartre, not far from the one where she and Berlioz lived in the beginning of their married life over 20 years earlier. The original copy of this painting, which shows Harriet Smithson in 1834, is in a private collection.

Harriet Smithson in c. 1828

The above mezzotint is by G Maile, after an oil painting by Claude-Marie Dubufe. The painting is in the Musée Magnin in Dijon, France.

Harriet Smithson in 1827

This lithograph is by Devéria, published in a 19th century book in our collection. A copy exists in the Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris and another in the Musée Hector Berlioz.

Harriet Smithson in 1819

This engraving is by Hopwood after a painting by R E Drummond.

Marie-Geneviève Martin, alias Marie Recio (1814-1862)
Berlioz’s second wife

Berlioz and Marie married on 19 October 1854 in the Trinity Church in Paris. Berlioz wrote to his son Louis at the time that it was his duty to do so. Miss Racio, a singer, had been his mistress for over a decade. Marie died in 1862. Both Marie and Harriet are buried with Berlioz at the Montmartre Cemetery.
A copy of this photo is in the Musée Hector Berlioz.

Marie Recio – engraving made after the above photo

This image has been scanned from Adolphe Jullien’s 1888 biography of Berlioz a copy of which is in our own collection.

Louis-Thomas Berlioz, Hector’s son (1834-1867)

Berlioz’s only child, named after his father Dr Louis Berlioz, was born on 14 August 1834. Berlioz’s younger sister Adèle and his friend Gounet were Louis’ godparents. As a young man Louis joined the merchant navy and rose to the rank of commander. One of the ships under his command was La Louisiane. He died on 5 June 1867 of yellow fever while on duty at Havana. His death dealt a devastating blow to his father.
A copy of the above lithograph, dated around 1863-64, is in the Musée Hector Berlioz.

Louis Berlioz, Hector’s son

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