Ange Du Fresnay

Ange Antoine Guy du Fresnay was knight of the Order of Carlos III of Spain and director of The Phoenix Companies in France.

He was the son of French writer Maria Du Fresnay, the brother of Honoré de Balzac's daughterMarie-Caroline Du Fresnay, and the ancestor of French writer and silent film director Guy du Fresnay as well as of French essayist and economist Philippe du Fresnay.

In 1858, he began working at The Phoenix Companies (now Royal & SunAlliance) in Paris, later becoming their CEO until his death.

In 1877, he bought from Claude Monet his painting Riverbank at Argenteuil, which he sold in 1894.

In 1880, he had the "Villa Belza" built as a gift to his wife Belza, née Dubreuil. Classified in 1997, this is now one of Biarritz's landmarks.

In 1883, Ange du Fresnay was made Knight of the Order of Carlos III by king Alphonso XII of Spain.