Wanda de Boncza

Wanda de Boncza
A postcard featuring a portrait of de Boncza by the photographer Nadar
Born
Wanda-Marie-Émilie Rutkowska

(1872-03-08)March 8, 1872
Batignolles-Monceau, Paris, French Third Republic
DiedAugust 15, 1902(1902-08-15) (aged 30)
8th arrondissement, Paris, French Third Republic
Resting place
Batignolles Cemetery
EducationConservatoire de Paris
OccupationThespian
EraBelle Époque
Parents
  • Gustave Rutkowski (father)
  • Anne Émilie Bojanowska (mother)

Wanda de Boncza (8 March 1872 – 15 August 1902) was a French actress, born Wanda-Marie-Émilie Rutkowska.

Early life

De Boncza was born in Paris, the daughter of Polish-Jewish immigrants. She studied comedy at the Conservatoire de Paris with Gustave Worms.

Career

De Boncza was considered a stage beauty in Paris, acting first at the Odéon, and then at the Comédie-Française. One English-language critic in 1901 described her stage presence as "little and dark, Parisian and perverse, she whose eyes are enigmas ... beautiful in her own odd way." Her stage appearances included roles in Fiancée (1894), La Barynia (1894), On ne badine pas avec l'amour (1896), Struensée (1898), La Conscience de l'enfant (1899), Alkestis (1900), and Le Marquis de Priola (1902).

Personal life

De Boncza died in Paris in 1902, aged 30 years, from appendicitis and an attempted surgical intervention. Some reports also mentioned that morphine addiction may have contributed to her early death. A few months after her death, there was an auction of her jewelry (especially pearls), gowns, and other possessions, yielding over a million francs, more than enough to pay off her gambling and other debts.

References

  1. 1 2 3 H. C. "Nécrologie" Revue universelle (Paris 1902): 429.
  2. 1 2 Sterling Heilig, "The Jewel-Spangled Beauties of Paris" New York Press (January 11, 1903): 3.
  3. ↑ Cecil Nicholson, "The Stage" The Academy and Literature (29 September 1894): 238.
  4. ↑ "Paris's Most Beautiful Actress" New York Times (16 May 1896): 5.
  5. ↑ Vance Thompson, "Beauty on the Paris Stage" Cosmopolitan (January 1901): 240–241.
  6. ↑ L. K., "Paris has a New Play and Player" New York Times (4 November 1894): 4.
  7. ↑ "Théatres" Revue bleue (5 December 1896): 730.
  8. 1 2 Untitled essay, Truth (21 August 1902): 448–449.
  9. ↑ "Wanda de Boncza" Sketch (3 December 1902): 253.
  10. ↑ "What Paris Talks About" New York Times (21 December 1902): 5.
  11. ↑ "Death of Mdlle. Wanda de Boncza" The Observer (17 August 1902): 7. via Newspapers.comOpen access icon
  12. ↑ "Victims of Morphia" Evening Star (13 June 1903): 22. via Newspapers.comOpen access icon
  13. ↑ André Fagel, "La Vente de Wanda de Boncza" L'Illustration (6 December 1902): 442.
  14. ↑ George Frederick Kunz and Charles Hugh Stevenson, The Book of the Pearl: Its History, Art, Science, and Industry (Courier Corporation 2013): 479. ISBN 9780486142746
  15. ↑ "Wanda de Boncza" Musica E Musicisti (1903): 62.
  16. ↑ "Owes Paris Costumers $100,000 for Gowns" Chicago Tribune (1 September 1902): 5. via Newspapers.comOpen access icon