Jane Avril:
Muse of the Moulin Rouge
World Famous Dancer, Inspiration for the role of Satine in the movie and Broadway musical, "Moulin Rouge," Friend of Henri Toulouse Lautrec, Darling of the Symbolist Movement during the Belle Epoque. Explore her amazing life here.
A tribute by Catherine Wolfe
The illegitimate daughter of a courtesan and an Italian Marquis, Jeanne Boudain became Jane Avril:
a star at the famous--and notorious--
Moulin Rouge dance hall cabaret.
About Jane
The legendary Moulin Rouge opened its doors in 1889 and soon became the most famous--and notorious--dance hall in the world. This was, in part, due to its location. During the last two decades of the 19th century, the Montmartre neighborhood of Paris became an international hub of avant-garde philosophy, social satire, modern art, and hedonistic pleasure. The artist Toulouse Lautrec chronicled life in Montmartre during those scandalous years, and one of the most popular subjects was a dancer who went by the name of Jane Avril.