Domenica (Mme Georges)

Research Status: Moderate Last Updated: 2025-12-07 Diary Coverage: Book 00 (1884 retrospective)

Basic Information

Domenica was the wife of Georges Babanine (Marie's uncle). She married Georges when she was thirty-six years old and already a widow with a daughter. Georges was only twenty at the time of their marriage. The marriage occurred sometime around 1853-1854, four or five years before Marie's birth in 1858.

Family Information

Her Children

From her marriage to Georges, Domenica had three children: 1. Dina - Daughter, born before Marie (circa 1853-1854), taken and raised by grand-maman 2. Lola - Daughter, later married 3. Etienne - Son, died at age sixteen

Previous Marriage

Domenica was a widow when she married Georges, bringing a daughter from her previous marriage into the Babanine household.

Character and Reputation

Marie describes her as:

• "Une femme pratique, très gaie, dit-on" - "A practical woman, very cheerful, they say"
• Complex Relationship with Georges: "Tout en adorant Georges qui l'abandonnait, se donnait quelques distractions" - "While adoring Georges who abandoned her, she allowed herself some distractions"

This suggests:

• Pragmatic Nature: She was realistic and practical in handling life
• Cheerful Disposition: Known for being gay/cheerful despite difficulties
• Emotional Complexity: Loved Georges even though he abandoned her
• Independence: Took "distractions" (possibly romantic interests) during his absences
• Detached Motherhood: Didn't object strongly when grand-maman took Dina away

The Dina Situation

When Dina was born, grand-maman took the baby from Domenica "sans cérémonie" (without ceremony) and kept her permanently. Marie notes that Domenica "n'y tenait pas trop" - didn't care too much about this arrangement.

This reveals either:

• Overwhelmed by Circumstances: Perhaps unable to care for a newborn adequately
• Practical Acceptance: Recognized her mother-in-law could provide better for Dina
• Emotional Distance: May not have been deeply maternal
• Social Judgment: Grand-maman may have deemed her unfit as a mother

Historical Context

Age Gap Marriage (1850s Russia)

The marriage between twenty-year-old Georges and thirty-six-year-old widow Domenica was highly unusual for 1850s Russian nobility:

• Sixteen-year age gap with the woman older
• Widow status with previous children
• Secret marriage: Marie notes M. Babanine's sons "all married without warning him"
• "More picturesque than edifying" circumstances

Such marriages in Russian aristocratic society were scandalous and suggest:

• Possible financial motivations
• Social rebellion by Georges
• Romantic passion overriding social conventions
• Family disapproval leading to secrecy

"Distractions" in 1850s Context

Marie's delicate phrasing about Domenica's "distractions" while Georges "abandoned" her suggests:

• Extramarital affairs: Socially transgressive for a wife, even if husband was absent
• Social Tolerance: The family seemed to accept this ("dit-on" - "they say" - suggests gossip)
• Double Standard: Georges could abandon her, but her "distractions" were noteworthy
• Practical Arrangement: Perhaps a tacit understanding in an unconventional marriage

Family Dynamics

Domenica's position in the Babanine household appears complex:

• Outsider Status: Older widow marrying young nobleman, probably not fully accepted
• Mother-in-law Dominance: Grand-maman could take her baby without resistance
• Continued Connection: Despite losing Dina, remained part of extended family
• Additional Children: Had two more children with Georges despite his absences

Fate Unknown

Marie's 1884 retrospective doesn't mention Domenica's later fate, focusing instead on her children:

• Lola is married (status as of 1884)
• Etienne died at sixteen (Marie promises to explain how)
• Dina became Countess Toulouse-Lautrec

Related Entries

• #Georges - Her husband who abandoned her
• #Dina - Her daughter, taken by grand-maman
• #Grand_maman - Her mother-in-law who took Dina
• #Lola - Her daughter who married
• #Etienne - Her son who died at sixteen

Sources

• Marie Bashkirtseff's 1884 Preface (Book 00, paragraph 00.35)
• Marie Bashkirtseff - Chapitre I | Presses universitaires de Rennes
• Historical context on 19th century Russian aristocratic marriage customs

%%2025-12-07T15:00:00 RSR: Created based on Book 00.35. Domenica represents an unconventional figure in the Babanine family - older widow, secret marriage, "distractions" while husband absent. Her daughter Dina became Marie's lifelong companion.%%