Ellen Andrée 1856 – 1933

Biography

Ellen Andrée became immortal the moment she stepped into Edgar Degas’s studio. The Parisian model captured the raw energy of Belle Époque Paris like few others, posing for one of art history’s most iconic works: Degas’s *L’Absinthe*, a haunting portrait of urban alienation that still stops viewers cold. Born in Paris’s 3rd arrondissement in 1856, Andrée didn’t just sit for portraits—she embodied the gritty, unvarnished reality of late-19th-century bohemian life that fascinated Impressionist masters.

Beyond Degas, she modeled for other prominent artists of her era, becoming a muse to the avant-garde movement reshaping European art. Her willingness to pose for unflinching, unflattering depictions set her apart from demure salon models. Andrée lived through Paris’s transformation, witnessing the rise of modernism from the inside.

She spent her final years in the 9th arrondissement before her death in 1933 at age 77. Today, Andrée rests in Montmartre Cemetery, the very neighborhood that once defined her artistic significance—a fitting resting place for a woman who helped define an era.