Artistes / Artists

Birthday: January 1622
Age: 39
Religion: Catholic
Class: Artistes
Profession / Title: Dramaturge, Comédien, Valet de chambre ordinaire et tapissier du Roi, Troupe de Monsieur
Marital status: Single
Sexual orientation: Heterosexuel

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was born into a prosperous family and having studied at the Collège de Clermont, Molière was well suited to begin a life in the theatre. Thirteen years as an itinerant actor helped him polish his comic abilities while he began writing, combining Commedia dell'arte elements with the more refined French comedy.

Birthday: 28 November 1632
Age: 29
Religion: Catholic
Class: Artistes
Profession / Title: Compositeur de la chambre, Surintendant de la musique royale
Marital status: Single
Sexual orientation: Bisexual

Giovanni Battista Lulli was born in Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, to a family of millers. In 1646, dressed as Harlequin during Mardi Gras and amusing bystanders with his clowning and his violin, he attracted the attention of Roger de Lorraine, chevalier de Guise, son of Charles, Duke of Guise, who was returning to France and was looking for someone to talk Italian with his niece, Mademoiselle de Montpensier (la Grande Mademoiselle). Guise took him to Paris, where the fourteen year-old entered Mademoiselle's service; from 1647 to 1652 he served as her "chamber boy". By February 1653 Lully had attracted the attention of young Louis XIV, dancing with him in the Ballet royal de la nuit. By March 16, 1653, Lully had been made royal composer for instrumental music.