Louis Viardot

[1] Viardot worked for the newspaper Le Globe (1828) alongside Pierre Leroux, who introduced him to George Sand.

In 1836 Viardot, who was already a friend of the artist Ary Scheffer, served as the attorney of Maria Malibran and managed her affairs.

[1][2] In 1838, after a fire destroyed the second Salle Favart, the Théâtre-Italien moved to the Théâtre de l'Odéon, and Louis served as the director of the theater from 10 November 1838 to 22 February 1840.

[3] He abandoned the position of director of the Théâtre-Italien, to devote himself to the career of his wife, and would follow her on her tours.

[1] In 1841, Louis Viardot, together with Pierre Leroux and George Sand, founded the socialist newspaper La Revue Indépendante, which was published for a short period.

They were friends when Viardot defended the interests of Maria Malibran, the sister of his future wife, and George Sand during the trial in 1836.

At various times Maurice Sand, Ary Scheffer, Charles Gounod, Hector Berlioz were in relationships with Pauline Viardot.

George Sand by Charles Louis Gratia ( c. 1835 )
Portrait of songstress Pauline Garcia-Viardot by Pyotr Fyodorovich Sokolov (1830s).
Portrait of Pauline Viardot by Ary Scheffer (1840).
Self-portrait (circa 1838) by Scheffer