Bashkirtseff
Orig | CZ

Etienne

Basic Aktualizováno: 2025-12-07

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

Basic Information

Etienne was the son of Georges Babanine and his wife Domenica. He was Marie Bashkirtseff's cousin and the brother of Dina and Lola. He died at age sixteen, before Marie wrote her 1884 retrospective preface.

Family Position

Etienne was the youngest of three children born to Georges and Domenica: 1. Dina - Older sister, taken and raised by grand-maman 2. Lola - Middle sister, married 3. Etienne - Youngest, died at sixteen

What Marie Records (1884)

In her retrospective preface, Marie mentions Etienne with ominous foreshadowing:

"De Georges elle eut encore deux enfants. Une fille, Lola, et un garçon, Etienne. La fille est mariée. Le garçon est mort à seize ans, vous verrez comment."

"From Georges she had two more children. A daughter, Lola, and a boy, Etienne. The daughter is married. The boy died at sixteen years old, you will see how."

Significance of Marie's Promise

The phrase "vous verrez comment" (you will see how) suggests:

  • Dramatic Story: His death was not a simple illness but involved circumstances worth narrating
  • Future Revelation: Marie planned to tell this story later in her preface or diary
  • Emotional Weight: The story was significant enough to be set up with foreshadowing
  • Tragic Nature: The emphasis implies tragedy, scandal, or unusual circumstances

Possible Causes (Speculative)

Given Marie's promise to explain "how" he died, possible scenarios include:

Duel or Violence

  • Common cause of death for young aristocratic men
  • Would be dramatic enough to warrant detailed telling
  • Fits the "vous verrez comment" foreshadowing

Suicide

  • Would explain the emphasis on "how" rather than simple statement of death
  • Family tragedy worth detailed explanation
  • Common in troubled aristocratic families

Accident

  • Hunting, riding, or other aristocratic pursuits
  • Dramatic circumstances worth narrating
  • Less scandalous than duel or suicide

Scandalous Circumstances

  • Given Georges' troubled reputation and family dysfunction
  • Could involve criminal activity, debts, or social disgrace
  • Might explain the setup as a story to be revealed

Historical Context

Young Male Mortality (1870s-1880s)

Death at sixteen was not uncommon in the 19th century, but Marie's emphasis on "how" suggests this was not:

  • Tuberculosis (would be stated matter-of-factly)
  • Fever or infectious disease (common, unremarkable)
  • Childhood illness (would say he died young, not emphasize the manner)

Aristocratic Male Risks

Young men of Etienne's class faced specific dangers:

  • Dueling: Still practiced despite being illegal
  • Military Service: Though sixteen seems young
  • Reckless Behavior: Gambling, drinking, dangerous pursuits
  • Family Scandal: Georges' troubles might have affected his son

The Missing Story

Frustratingly, Marie's diary as published does not appear to include the promised explanation of Etienne's death. Either:

  • Never Written: Marie didn't complete this section of her preface
  • Lost or Edited: The story was cut by publishers
  • Later in Diary: The story appears elsewhere and hasn't been found yet
  • Too Scandalous: Family requested removal

Contrast with Lola

While Lola receives dismissive one-line treatment ("La fille est mariée"), Etienne's death warrants:

  • Detailed Setup: Foreshadowing with "vous verrez comment"
  • Promise of Explanation: Marie commits to telling the full story
  • Emotional Weight: Treated as significant narrative event

This suggests:

  • Closer Relationship: Etienne may have been part of Marie's childhood world
  • Dramatic Impact: His death affected the family notably
  • Story Worth Telling: The circumstances had narrative interest beyond simple death notice

Related Entries

%%2025-12-07T15:30:00 RSR: Created based on Book 00.35. Etienne's death at sixteen is set up dramatically ("vous verrez comment") but the promised explanation doesn't appear in available text. The emphasis on HOW he died suggests scandal, tragedy, or unusual circumstances worth detailed narration.%%