Who is Sarah Benhardt?
Sarah Bernhardt was a French actress of the late 19th century. Nicknamed “The Divine Sarah,” she was feted throughout Europe and the United States. Sarah Bernhardt was one of the most famous actresses of her day, beloved by playwrights and theatergoers alike. Sarah Bernhardt was born Henriette Rosine Bernard in Paris on 23 October 1844, the illegitimate daughter of a Dutch-born Jewish courtesan. Sarah Bernhardt later became a courtesan herself, as well as an actress, and studied her craft at the Comedie Francaise. In the 1870s, Bernhardt developed her stage career and was soon in demand all over Europe and the United States. Sarah Bernhardt was known for her eccentric habits. She kept a menagerie of exotic pets, including leopards and alligators, and purportedly slept in a coffin lined with love letters she had received. In addition to acting, she coached younger actresses, wrote her own books and plays, sculpted, painted, and modeled for artist Antonio de La Gandara. She served as an
