La dignité de l’actrice La Légion d’honneur de Julia Bartet (1905)

On 22^d July 1905, Julia Bartet (1854-1941), “doyenne” of the Comédie-Française troupe, was made Knight of the Légion d’Honneur. The “Divine” was the first actress to be awarded such a distinction for her artistic activity. By assessing the debate surrounding this controversial nomination and by examining in particular the rivalry between Julia Bartet and Sarah Bernhardt (not awarded such honour until 1914), this article gives a better understanding of the actresses’ status in the days of the Belle Époque.