Joseph Bologne

Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, was an 18th-century French composer, violinist, and champion fencer of mixed race, born to a nobleman and an enslaved woman. His remarkable talents led him to the heights of Parisian society, where he served at the court of Marie Antoinette, but he remained largely unrecognized for his contributions to music until recent years. Bologne's life story is a testament to the intersection of art, race, and social status during a tumultuous period in French history.