​​​​Ninon lived from 1620 to 1705 and was considered the Beauty of the 17th Century. Though not born into or married into royalty, she became the royal figure of the Ancien Régime, which was the political, social, economic, and cultural spheres of France before the French Revolution.  ​If there was ever a person who exemplified the Promethean way of living, Ninon wrote the book.

 

As a free-thinking figure with the unwavering attitude that no one would ever dictate to her the limits of her life, Ninon completely changed the idea of what a woman may become. By courageously refusing to let any societal structure determine her place in the world, she became the first proto-feminists to openly challenge monarchs and religious leaders who saw women as inferior to men. As an altruist, she helped many people from all walks of life. In her private literary salon, she educated countless women on their equal rights and empowered them by teaching them to cultivate their intellect and embrace their independence.  In addition, as one of the earliest referenced private investors, Ninon personally financed notable figures before they were ever known to the outside world, such as Voltaire, Molière, Saint-Evremond, de Sévigné, La Fontaine, Scarron, Fontenelle, La Rochefoucauld, the Great Condé, René Descartes, de Grammont, and many more.​ 

 

With her belief that the greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say cannot be done, she prevailed through very difficult personal misfortunes. To illustrate, she spent time in an orphanage as a young teenager after her father was exiled from France and her mother passed away shortly thereafter. As an adult, she was imprisoned at the Madelonnettes Convent for openly defying unjust societal norms. Even though Ninon did not have the support of a husband, she lived an exceptionally long and prosperous life.  It was her passion to help as many people as possible, and, in doing so, she changed the trajectory of an entire nation. Today, the Lanclos legacy remains a vital part of France's rich history, with publications of her writings, movies, operas, and portraits of Ninon displayed on the walls in a myriad number of museums throughout the world, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Louvre Palace, Château de Versailles, and many more.​​

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