Théophile and Marie Ferré

The Ferré family were very close to Louise Michel. Théophile Ferré was a long-time friend who shared her revolutionary fire, and Louise was the last person he wrote to before his death in November 1871. His sister Marie Ferré was equally close to Louise, and Louise carried a portrait of Marie for most of her life.

Louise was rumoured to have an unrequited love for Théophile, but was also depicted as asexual (she was known broadly as the ‘Red Virgin’) and also had a handful of long-term, significant female relationships during her life, such as the close ‘friendship’ she was said to share with Nathalie Lemel in New Caledonia.

Louise was discreet about her specific loves, but evidence suggests at the very least, an intimate relationship with the Ferré family. She and her mother are buried very close to the Ferré tomb in the Levallois-Perret cemetery.