Mouton

Overview

Mouton appears in Marie Bashkirtseff's diary as someone associated with horses in Nice during 1873. Based on the context of Marie's mentions, he was likely a stable owner, horse dealer, or riding instructor from whom Marie rented or borrowed horses for her rides.

Mentions in the Diary

Marie first mentions Mouton in her January 11, 1873 diary entry:

"Les Howard étaient venus me chercher, mais la canaille Mouton ne m'a pas envoyé le cheval.. J'ai fait plusieurs fois le tour en voiture en suivant les chevaux; j'étais en amazone, puis j'ai changé de toilette à la promenade; une délicieuse robe bleue."

> (The Howards had come to get me, but the scoundrel Mouton did not send me the horse.. I went around several times in a carriage following the horses; I was in a riding habit, then I changed clothes at the promenade; a delightful blue dress.)

Her reference to Mouton as "la canaille" (the scoundrel/rascal) and her frustration at not receiving the expected horse indicates their business relationship was sometimes contentious.

Marie mentions Mouton again in her September 15, 1873 diary entry when describing problems with her horse:

"Il faut que je me trouve bien mal pour descendre du cheval, car je pouvais à peine arriver chez Mouton, je lui rendis le cheval avec un scolding et je remontais en voiture."

> (I must have been feeling quite unwell to get off the horse, because I could barely reach Mouton's place, I returned the horse to him with a scolding and got back into the carriage.)

This suggests that Mouton was someone to whom Marie would return a horse after riding, indicating he owned or managed horses that Marie used.

In her September 19, 1873 entry, Marie again mentions Mouton when having trouble with her saddle:

"Mais la selle devient inquiétante et je vais chez Mouton qui l'arrange encore une fois, et encore une fois elle recule. Enfin, aux Ponchettes, je me vois définitivement contrainte de quitter mon Pégase, je monte en landau et Paul furieux prend les rênes du cheval. Tout le temps jusqu'à Mouton il rageait et je riais de sa rage..."

> (But the saddle becomes worrying and I go to Mouton's who arranges it once more, and once more it slips back. Finally, at the Ponchettes, I find myself definitively forced to leave my Pegasus, I get into the landau and Paul, furious, takes the reins of the horse. The whole time until [we reached] Mouton's he was raging and I was laughing at his rage...)

This passage confirms that Mouton had a physical location ("chez Mouton") where horses could be taken, and that he provided services such as adjusting saddles. The fact that Paul took the horse "jusqu'à Mouton" (until [we reached] Mouton's) after Marie had to abandon her ride further suggests that Mouton was the person from whom the horse was obtained and to whom it would be returned.

Role and Business

Based on these mentions, Mouton appears to have been:

1. A stable owner, horse dealer, or riding master in Nice 2. Someone who provided horses for Marie's rides 3. Someone who could adjust or repair riding equipment like saddles 4. Someone with a physical establishment ("chez Mouton") where horses could be taken

In 19th century Nice, horseback riding was an important social activity for the aristocracy and wealthy visitors. Establishments that provided horses for hire, riding lessons, and related services were essential to support this activity. Mouton's business would have catered to this wealthy clientele, including visitors like Marie and her family.

Historical Context

In the 1870s, before the widespread adoption of automobiles, horses were the primary means of transportation and recreation for the upper classes. In resort towns like Nice, which attracted wealthy visitors from across Europe, businesses that provided horses and related services were important parts of the local economy.

For a young woman of Marie's social class, horseback riding was both a leisure activity and a social accomplishment. The ability to ride well was considered an important skill for young women of the aristocracy, and riding on the promenade was a way to see and be seen in society.

Marie's frustration with the poorly fitting saddle that "recule" (slips back) during her rides suggests that the equipment provided by Mouton may not have been of the highest quality, or perhaps was not properly adjusted for a female rider.

%% 2025-04-05T22:00:00 RSR: Created entry based on mentions in September 15 and 19, 1873 diary entries %% %% 2025-04-05T18:14:29 RSR: Updated to include January 11, 1873 reference %%