Juliette Benzoni Catherine

Introduction
by Mistral

Dear friends of the Catherine de Montsalvy books. Let me introduce to you the "Catherine" of our favorite author Juliette Benzoni. What you see on the above image, is a very beautiful painting which belongs to the famous writer herself. As some of you may know, my very good friend Frédérique of the French "Juliette Benzoni Blog", and I, have had the excepitonal great honor to be invited by none other than Madame Juliette Benzoni at her home. 2009

During our stay on that unbelievable afternoon, at one point, Madame Juliette got up and said: You want to know how "Catherine" looked like?
Have a close look at that painting over there on the wall" I made two steps and looked the first time at my "Catherine". I had Juliette's permission to take the precious canvas down. Well, I am not "Arnaud de Montsalvy" and can therefore not use his words - but as the passionate admirer I am of "Catherine" I must say, this beautiful painting had on the spot captured my heart! We all have had I am sure, our own different ideas how she might have looked like. Thanks to Juliette Benzoni generosity and sweetness, we learn how she must have imagined her very first heorine way back in 1963

We learned that Juliette had one of "Jean van Eyck's famous Madonna paintings in mind. She asked a very good friend who was a painter, if he would to her the pleasure and "create" for her Catherine de Montsalvy.
What you see now on this page is his wonderful work! I like to thank
my sister LaLuna for the outstanding job she did for me. I have to admit
that I had been so excited, while taking some photos of the painting, that without LaLuna's "magical" work, we would not have the joy to have a good look at Juliette's "Catherine". !

Even though I am so thrilled to see this portrait, I am not forgetting
"Claudine Ancelot" who has in my humble opinion, brought Catherine
to "life" with her unforgettable interpretation of

Catherine de Montsalvy

Thank you Juliette for your kindness and generosity to share your
treasure with all of us. Thank you also Claudine for all the happy
hours you bestowed on us with being our Catherine in the TV-Serie
directed by Marion Sarraut "Catherine, Il Suffit d'un Amour.

Mistral, webmistress
January 2010