born on 1 april 1856 in paris, thérèse léa maryvonne gabrielle salvador was the daughter of daniél lévi salvador, generally known as gabriel salvador, and séphora adamine crémieux. in march 1878, she married the banker émile alphen who died in 1891. from then on she lived with her sister margueritte brandon in a large paris apartment becoming a prominent socialite. they held a salon, inviting scientific and cultural figures, including the author andré gide and the politician eugène rouart.