PROFESSIONAL RECONVERSIONS OF POLITICS
Marie-Laure de Villepin, born Marie-Laure Le Guay on November 23, 1962 in Paris, is much more than a simple ex-partner of Dominique de Villepin. Accomplished artist and independent figureshe was able to forge her own identity under the pseudonym Marie-Laure Viébel, turning to sculpture after the end of her marriage. But who is she really and what was her journey alongside the former French Prime Minister?
Marie-Laure Le Guay comes from a Parisian family with deep roots in French history. His father, General François-Joseph Leguay, belonged to a line of stockbrokers, which offered him a family environment firmly anchored in tradition. Despite this heritage, it was on a bus, while she was a student at the Higher Institute of Interpretation and Translation (ISIT), that she met Dominique de Villepin. This chance meeting would mark the start of a long relationship which resulted in a marriage celebrated on August 3, 1985.
A marriage and three children
The couple formed by Marie-Laure and Dominique de Villepin quickly becomes a family with the birth of their three children. Their eldest daughter, Marie, born in 1986, made a name for herself in artistic circles as a model, painter and actress. Arthur, born in 1988, turned to the business world and is today company president. Finally, their third child, Victoire, was born in 1990. The Villepin family presents itself as a united core, evolving in the spotlight due to the major political role of Dominique de Villepin.
Although Marie-Laure remained withdrawn from her husband’s political life during his years in power, she played a discreet but significant role in his career. In May 2007, when Dominique de Villepin left Matignon, she did not hide her relief. Symbolically, she wears a white jacket on which is written “adieu” in several languages, thus marking the end of a tumultuous period and often difficult for her as the wife of one of France’s most prominent politicians.
A divorce and a new artistic life
The year 2011 marks a decisive turning point in the life of Marie-Laure de Villepin. After several years of emotional and personal estrangement, the couple divorced. It was also during this period that Marie-Laure decided to free herself from her past to reinvent herself. “Dominique cheated on me… Yes… He cheated on me with France and politics!”she declared in December 2011, when he ran for president. It’s this symbolic betrayal which pushes her to redefine herself, not only as a woman, but also as an artist.
Under the name Marie-Laure Viébel, she immerses herself in the world of sculpture. She chose this pseudonym in homage to the film Life is beautiful by Roberto Benigni, a wink that allows her to be reborn under a new identity, far from that of the wife of a politician. “Changing your name also means marking your territory, distancing yourself”, she confides. Marie-Laure Viébel quickly established herself as a unique artist. Trained for three years in a gilder’s workshop, she finds expression in works using natural materials. One of the key elements of his creations is the Seychelles coco de mer, also called coco-fesses. These “seeds of life” are at the heart of his sculptural work, often surrounded by gold leaf, symbolizing fertility and rebirth.
A woman of letters and culture
In addition to her artistic career, Marie-Laure Viébel shows a marked interest in literature and culture. She becomes scientific co-editor of Travel diaries 1948-1952 by the Chinese artist Zao Wou-Ki, published in collaboration with Françoise Marquet and prefaced by Dominique de Villepin. Today, Marie-Laure Viébel stands proudly as as an artist and independent woman. After years spent in the shadow of Dominique de Villepin’s political career, she was able to rebuild herself and flourish in a field that fascinates her.
Sources used:Gala, Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
