Which real woman helped inspire the story of La traviata?

The story of La traviata was inspired by the life of Marie Duplessis, a real-life Parisian "lady of pleasure" known for her wit, charm, and beauty.1

Alexandre Dumas fils, who wrote the novel and play upon which the opera is based, knew and adored Duplessis personally. Much like the opera's protagonist, Violetta Valéry, Duplessis suffered from tuberculosis and died from the disease in 1847 at the age of 23. Giuseppe Verdi, having read the novel and seen the play in Paris, was inspired to adapt this intimate, contemporary story into one of his most celebrated works.12