Anne Brochard

Anne Brochard (born in Périgueux December 30, 1844 – died in Neuilly-sur-Seine October 1, 1928) was a French photographer and seamstress.

Having become a seamstress under the name Anna Brochard, she was also known for various escapades under the name of Madame Gigault in the last quarter of the 19th century. She was the mother of actress Anne Marie Louise Joséphine Mars Brochard, known as Mademoiselle Mars.

Biography
Brochard was born in Périgueux in 1844, daughter of Henri Brochard, carpenter, and Marguerite Laborde, his wife. At the age of seventeen, in the same city, she married Eugène Gigault, employed in the inspection of track equipment, and gave birth to a daughter, Anne Marie Eugénie Gigault two years later. The household then fell apart and Anne Brochard stayed in Spain for a while before settling back in Paris with her father.

In 1866 and 1867, two children of unknown parents were born to a midwife on rue de l'Arbre-Sec, under the names of Anne Marie Louise Joséphine Mars, and Charles Marie Mars. Shortly after Eugène Gigault returned to France, the separation of bodies and property was pronounced against him: he was accused of living off his wife, who retained custody of their daughter. In 1880, the Mars children were recognized by Anne Brochard as her natural children.

Photographer
In 1867, Anne Brochard, appearing under the identity of  Mme Gigault (Anne Mélina Brochard)", took over the reins of a photography studio. Without experience in commerce, Anne Brochard became one of the rare women of the time to run a studio in her own name. Like her many male counterparts, she offered portraits, in particular the business card portraits popularized by the process of Eugène Disdéri since 1854. In an exaggeratedly flattering article published in June 1867, she was described as "one of those exceptional women, who by an extreme prodigality of nature, happen to be suited just as well to the highest works of man as to the charming and gentle role of their sex". She is presented as one of the rare female photographers of the time, inventor of a "very ingenious device which makes the portrait infallible and the operation fabulously rapid", but also of a process allowing rapid sculpted portraits.

But Anne Brochard quickly fell into debt by purchasing oak and mahogany furniture, and after only a few months of activity, in July 1868 went bankrupt. A certain Mr. Sibut, who rented her an apartment, threw her into the street, while keeping her personal belongings. After several legal proceedings, partial reimbursement of the studio's debts was recorded in March 1870.