“Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin^[1] (French: [amɑ̃tin lysil oʁɔʁ dypɛ̃]; 1 July 1804 – 8 June 1876), best known by her pen name George Sand (French: [ʒɔʁʒ sɑ̃d]), was a French novelist, memoirist, and journalist.^[2][3] One of the most popular writers in Europe in her lifetime,^[4] being more renowned than both Victor Hugo and Honoré de Balzac in England in the 1830s and 1840s,^[5] Sand is recognised as one of the most notable writers of the European Romantic era.”

“George Sand.” Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Sand. Accessed 19 Sept. 2021.

George Sand: Novelist, Muse and Gender Bender

Listen to this episode from Stuff You Missed in History Class on Spotify. She was an incredibly famous writer of incredible output. Her behavior and personal style were almost as talked about as her novels, and these factors combined made her into a figure that was admired by many, despised by some, and completely fascinating.

I first learned of Madame George Sand in the 1991 film Impromptu in which George is sublimely played by Judy Davis as she relentlessly chases the pianist/composer Frédéric Chopin.

“I am not full of virtues and noble qualities, but I love, that is all. I love strongly, exclusively, and steadfastly.“

George Sand in the movie Impromptu

Australian actress Judy Davis on the set of “Impromptu”, by American…

Australian actress Judy Davis on the set of “Impromptu”, by American director and screenwriter James Lapine. | Location: Champigne, France. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

Impromptu (1991) – IMDb

Impromptu: Directed by James Lapine. With Judy Davis, Hugh Grant, Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters. In 1830s France, pianist/composer Frédéric Chopin is pursued romantically by the determined, individualistic woman who uses the name George Sand.