A Life of Art and Music
Born in Paris, France, Charlotte de Rothschild was a painter, composer, socialite, pianist, and art collector. Raised by wealthy parents at the center of Parisian culture, she was surrounded by major figures in the arts. Her musical education included studying with Frédéric Chopin, who dedicated several works to her, including his Farewell-Waltz in A-flat major, Op. 69 No.1, Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52, and his Waltz in C-sharp minor, Op. 64, No. 2.
In 1842, she married her English-born cousin, Nathaniel de Rothschild. Together, they lived in Paris and purchased the Château Brane-Mouton vineyard, which they renamed Château Mouton Rothschild. In 1878, Charlotte acquired the Abbaye des Vaux de Cernay in Cernay-la-Ville, a Cistercian abbey she undertook to restore and transform into a country home.
Artistic Pursuits and Legacy
As a talented artist, Charlotte de Rothschild studied under Nélie Jacquemart. She earned respect for her work in several mediums, specifically:
Her artistic contributions were recognized through exhibitions at the Paris Salon in 1872, an exhibition in London in 1879, and the annual salon of the Société des aquarellistes français. Her work has been displayed at the Musée du Luxembourg in Paris and other museums throughout France, and her illuminated Haggadah of Pesach is held in the Braginsky Collection.
