The woman artist in some Rachildian novels

This article looks at certain facets of the female artist in Rachilde by exploring her two worlds: one normal and down-to-earth; the other overriding the natural world. In the first, she adapts to the norms of society, in the second she crosses the border of reality, revealing herself as Pygmalion, priestess, even goddess. We are particularly interested here in La Jongleuse where the artist-priestess Eliante Donalger tries to awaken and initiate the young scientist Léon Reille.