Wanda de Boncza explained

Wanda de Boncza (8 March 1872 – 15 August 1902) was a French actress, born Wanda-Marie-Émilie Rutkowska.

Early life

Wanda-Marie-Émilie Rutkowska was born in Paris, the daughter of Polish-Jewish immigrants. ^[1] She studied comedy at the Conservatoire de Paris with Gustave Worms.^{[2] [3]}

Career

Wanda de Boncza was considered a stage beauty in Paris,^[4] acting first at the Odéon, and then at the Comédie-Française. One English-language critic in 1901 described her stage presence as "little and dark, Parisian and perverse, she whose eyes are enigmas ... beautiful in her own odd way."^[5] Her stage appearances included roles in Fiancée (1894),^[6] La Barynia (1894), On ne badine pas avec l'amour (1896),^[7] Struensée (1898), La Conscience de l'enfant (1899), Alkestis (1900), and Le Marquis de Priola (1902).^[8]

Personal life

Wanda de Boncza died in Paris in 1902, aged 30 years,^[9] from appendicitis^{[10] [11]} and an attempted surgical intervention. Some reports also mentioned that morphine addiction may have contributed to her early death.^[12] A few months after her death,^[13] there was an auction of her jewelry (especially pearls), gowns, and other possessions, yielding over a million francs, more than enough to pay off her gambling and other debts.^{[14] [15] [16]}

External links

• A cigarette card featuring Wanda de Boncza, from the New York Public Library Digital Collections.
• A photograph of Wanda de Boncza in the collection of the Musée d'Orsay, Paris.

Notes and References

1. H. C. "Nécrologie" Revue universelle (Paris 1902): 429.
2. Sterling Heilig, "The Jewel-Spangled Beauties of Paris" New York Press (January 11, 1903): 3.
3. Cecil Nicholson, "The Stage" The Academy and Literature (29 September 1894): 238.
4. "Paris's Most Beautiful Actress" New York Times (16 May 1896): 5. via ProQuest
5. Vance Thompson, "Beauty on the Paris Stage" Cosmopolitan (January 1901): 240-241.
6. L. K., "Paris has a New Play and Player" New York Times (4 November 1894): 4. via ProQuest
7. https://books.google.com/books?id=3FNFAAAAYAAJ&dq=Wanda+de+Boncza&pg=PA730 "Théatres"
8. https://books.google.com/books?id=dEIxAQAAMAAJ&dq=Wanda+de+Boncza&pg=PA448 Untitled essay
9. https://books.google.com/books?id=tEJIAQAAMAAJ&dq=Wanda+de+Boncza&pg=PA253 "Wanda de Boncza"
10. "What Paris Talks About" New York Times (21 December 1902): 5. via ProQuest
11. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23445548/wanda_de_boncza_1902/ "Death of Mdlle. Wanda de Boncza"
12. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23442824/wanda_de_boncza_1903/ "Victims of Morphia"
13. André Fagel, "La Vente de Wanda de Boncza" L'Illustration" (6 December 1902): 442.
14. George Frederick Kunz and Charles Hugh Stevenson, The Book of the Pearl: Its History, Art, Science, and Industry (Courier Corporation 2013): 479.
15. "Wanda de Boncza" Musica E Musicisti (1903): 62.
16. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23445458/wanda_de_boncza_1902/ "Owes Paris Costumers $100,000 for Gowns"