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SPEAKER_02: This August on Womanaca, we're taking a trip through history to discover the stories of Muses, women whose lives inspired work that's shaped our culture in small ways and large. Special thanks to this month's sponsor, Mercedes-Benz, whose own famous namesake was inspired by a young muse named Mercedes. Join us all month long for fascinating stories of women who are drivers of creativity, inspiration, and artistic expression. Hello, from Wonder Media Network, I'm Jenny Kaplan, and this is Womanaca. This month, we're talking about Muses, women who've captivated artists with their charisma, wit, and talent. Today, we're talking about a woman who was the star act at what was considered the greatest show on earth. Her strength and perceived exoticism made her the perfect subject for the renowned painter, Edgar Degas. Let's talk about Miss Lala. Miss Lala was born Anna Olga Albertina Brown on April 21st, 1858, in what's now known as Szczecin, Poland. She was of mixed race. Her father was black and her mother white. It's believed that Miss Lala got involved in the circus at nine years old. In the 19th century, the circus was a place where the women were able to play the flute. The circus was a place where the women were able to play the flute. In the 19th century, the circus was an extremely popular form of entertainment. It also provided an inclusive working environment. Not only did the circus accept women, women were often the highest paid performers. Miss Lala started with the basics and quickly became an expert wire walker, trapeze artist, hand balancer, and most notably, a strength performer. Although not very tall, Miss Lala was incredibly strong. Edmund Desbonnet, the founder of the physical culture movement in France, recounted that he was jealous of her biceps when he first met her in 1887. Miss Lala and her aerial partner, Kyra Blanche, formed Troop Kyra alongside two other performers. They traveled throughout Europe performing on some of the biggest stages including the Folli Bergere in Paris, the Royal Aquarium in London, and the Gaiety Theater in Manchester. In December of 1878, the Troop had a month long gig at the Cirque Fernando in Paris. The group was sensational, but spectators specifically kept coming back for Miss Lala. With her iron jaw act, she was the star of the show. In this amazing feat, Miss Lala would hang from her knees on one trapeze while holding a second trapeze between her teeth. She would then have other performers alternate carrying out poses on the second trapeze. The only thing supporting the weight of these individuals was Miss Lala's teeth. As if that wasn't impressive enough, Miss Lala took it one step further. She hung upside down from a trapeze and with her teeth lifted a 150 pound Civil War era cannon into the air. The cannon was then fired, all while hanging from Miss Lala's jaw. Her body would inevitably reverberate from the blast of the cannon, but she never lost her grip. This act won her the title of La Femme Cannon. This wasn't her only nickname. She was called the Venus of the Tropics, Olga the Negress, and the Black Pearl. Circuses in Paris advertised her as the Black Venus, while those in London went with African Queen. Because of her African and European heritage, Miss Lala was exoticized. Circuses liked to harp on the mystery around her ancestry in order to increase ticket sales. There was even a rumor that Miss Lala was a dethroned African princess, that she was sold into slavery after her court abandoned her and pledged their allegiance to Queen Victoria. Many Europeans struggled to reconcile their admiration for Miss Lala with her ethnicity. One man who attempted to reconcile this did so through his art. French impressionist, Edgar Degas, solidified Miss Lala's fame when she was 21 years old. His studio was conveniently located close to Cirque Fernando. He went frequently for inspiration, citing the circus as a place to find what he called a natural realism. When Miss Lala's troupe came to perform, he was so entranced that he went to see her four times. In his diary, he referred to Miss Lala as "'my beautiful Negress.'" After many sketches and much deliberation over how to paint her, Degas created his only painting of the circus in 1879. Miss Lala at the Cirque Fernando depicted Miss Lala hanging from the roof of the circus by just a rope clenched between her teeth. Suspended from the ceiling, the viewer admires Miss Lala from below. You can't see her face as her head is thrown back, supporting herself just by the strength of her jaw. She comes off as strong and also graceful. Her pose demonstrates just how amazing the feat really was. Art critic Roy McMullen called the painting among the artist's most striking and complex achievements. The painting is considered one of the world's most famous paintings of the circus. Partly for the difficulty in capturing Miss Lala in movement, and partially because the painting accurately portrays the societal misfits that the circus catered to. Rather than being judged for race, gender, or socioeconomic status, performers were evaluated on their skill and physicality. In the early 1880s, Miss Lala and her partner, Kyra, formed their own duo. People referred to them as Les Due Papillons. They were the two butterflies. They dazzled the circus circuit until 1888, when Kyra tragically fell to her death during a stunt. Later that year, Miss Lala married American contortionist, Emanuel Woodson. The couple went on to have three daughters who continued in their parents' footsteps. They formed a troupe of latter acrobats that went by the name of the Kazaya Sisters, or Three Kazayas. We don't know much about Miss Lala's final days. The last record of her existence is from a 1919 US passport application. She was 61 years old. All month, we're highlighting muses. For more information, check us out on Facebook and Instagram, at Womanica Podcast. Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator. Talk to you tomorrow.
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