(originally appeared in the Chicago Tribune, 9 Oct 1898) A few superstitious Spaniards believe that the long series of misfortunes that has befallen Spain and . Virginia Oldoni Rapallini, Countess of Castiglione (22 March 1837 28 November 1899), better known as La Castiglione, was an Italian aristocrat who achieved notoriety as a mistress of Emperor Napoleon III of France. Reportedly, the Marquess Richard Seymour Conway once offered her 1 million francs for just 12 hours of her company. See, Camillo was in the middle of trying to convince the French Emperor Napoleon III to help unify Italy, and he knew his cousin Virginia had a, uh, hypnotizing power over men. By 1860, their affair had soured, and the countess had completely lost favor at court. Theres just NOTHING 19th century about this look, and 2. In her later years the Countess removed all mirrors from her apartment, refusing to watch her beauty decay. His devotion led him to confide in his cousin. She was noted for her fair complexion, delicate oval face, long blonde hair, and eyes that changed color from blue-violet to green. She allegedly had an illicit love affair with a naval officer, right before the day of her marriage to the Count, tagging herself with an anarchist title. 7 The First Model. Of all the relationships the Countess formed in Paris, the most significantand by far most enduringwas her relationship with the camera. ; Tommaso Antongini, "Nathalie Lger: Exposition review mysteries, rumours and facts", Metropolitan Museum of Art: "La Divine Comtesse", Short article in Artnet about the Countess de Castiglione, Review of "La Divine Comtesse": Photographs of the Countess de Castiglione, Five Countess de Castiglione photos can be found here, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Virginia_Oldoini,_Countess_of_Castiglione&oldid=1132953745, Photographic artist and supposed secret agent, Giorgio Verasis di Castiglione (18551879), Abigail Solomon-Godeau, "The Legs of the Countess," in, This page was last edited on 11 January 2023, at 13:44. Were always looking for your input! When he tried to gain full custody over their only son Giorgio not so subtly indicating her bitterness and disgust towards her ex-husband. This unique personality from the 19 th century is none other that of the Countess of Castiglione, whose own life merits a novel and whose art turned out to be quite extravagant. Emotions through freedom of artworks in a contemporary way. I dont think narcissist is the right word. Instead, she preferred to stand in the middle of the room and let men fawn over her as if she were a shrine. The Contessa's Secret: Directed by Georges Combret. See more ideas about countess, vintage photos, vintage photography. . At one point shes reunited with her lover: Which was notable to me, because her plaid dress, reminded me of the very first image I ever saw of the countess, in which I died over her (probably photographically altered) wasp waist |La Comtesse de Castiglione La robe cossaise byPierre-Louis Pierson, 1859 via Artsy, And then in a euphemistic shot that completely reminded me ofThe Girl in the Red Velvet Swing, shes seen on stage NO idea whats up with that, as far as I know the real countess didnt do any theater?? "Her project, undermined by her shameless self-absorption, could not therefore be regarded as that of a true artist. He later scrawled furiously: Our separation is irrevocable. Once she even used this photographic art to communicate with others. In 1857, barely a year after the well-heeled couple traveled to Paris, Count Francesco left court for his native Italy in a huff, leaving his young, impressionable wife behind. ), Yes, its found it. The Countess' story begins in the mid-19th century, when she was married off to an Italian count at age 17. Please. In 1855, their only son, Giorgio, was . As her name implies, Oldoinis parents had big expectations for the little girlexpectations that would soon ruin her entire life. Hand-tinted photographs were regarded as both a luxury and a novelty. Public collections can be seen by the public, including other shoppers, and may show up in recommendations and other places. The swing pic may refer to this painting by Fragonard? The countess was an early pioneer in photo alteration, and in fact she colorized many of her photos using different . Her playful photoshoots anticipated the Surrealist aesthetic that would dominate the art scene after she passed In one meta photo, she peers at the viewer through a cameradrawing attention to the ways shes both looking at you while youre looking at her. In 1855, she had a brief affair with King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy, who nicknamed her "Nini". ", Writing about herself in third person, the Countess said, "The Eternal Father did not know what he was creating the day he sent her into the world; he modeled and modeled, and when he was finished he looked at his wondrous work and was overwhelmed. Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, Seductive Facts About The Secret Lives Of Courtesans, These Eerie Supernatural Experiences Sent A Chill Down Our Spines, Overheard Once, Forgotten Never: These Hurtful Comments Are Completely Brutal, Everyone Has A Limit: These Moments Made People Say Enough Is Enough, Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, Frances Uncrowned Queen, These Jerks Had No Idea Who They Were Messing With. Just a year after their marriage, in 1855, the Count and Countess travelled to Paris, to the court of Napoleon the III of France. dressed in a gorgeous gown and holding a knife in her hand, titled "La Venegance . But in the end, she would only be his mistress for less than a year, limiting her ability to manipulate him. Well, she did pay for the consequences of her nastiness. Explore. The Countess of Castiglione made her mark in very difficult times. But as she aged she grew more reclusive, living in a house without mirrors. But it turns out that Oldoini really shone when her back was up against the wall. As well see later, though, Francesco wasnt even done yet. She ended her life as a recluse hiding in darkened apartments. Now, the problem is the film is in Italian without any English subtitles, and my knowledge of Italian is limited to ordering food and booking hotel rooms. Virginia gladly accepted the offer, with the condition of using any means necessary to lure the King. She was also a significant figure in the early history of photography. Edwardian Era. Her parents were the Marquis of Filippo Oldoini and the Marquise of Isabella Lamporecchi, who belonged to the Tuscan nobility. I once watched several hours of La Vengenza (a Spanish Soap opera) when I was at home before I had to go to work on Univision. In the end, Oldoinis illicit dalliance with Napoleon III was as short-lived as it was tragic. She was the prophetess of self-portraits, anticipating Frida Kahlo, Cindy Sherman and . Yep, he wanted Oldoini to become a spybut that wasnt all he instructed her to do. Well enter: The Countess of Castiglione. Want to know more? https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Hasards_heureux_de_l%27escarpolette#/media/Fichier:Fragonard,_The_Swing.jpg. Her cousin, Camillo, Count of Cavour, was a minister of Victor Emmanuel II, King of Sardinia (that included also Piedmont, Val d'Aosta, Liguria and Savoy). [6], Virginia spent her declining years in an apartment in the Place Vendme, where she had the rooms decorated in funeral black, the blinds kept drawn, and mirrors banishedapparently so she would not have to confront her advancing age and loss of beauty. Oldoini never did reconcile with her husbandand though this would get her into trouble later, she didnt much mind for the time being. Thanks for your time! The future countess was born Virginia Oldoini in 1837 in Florence; her father was a diplomat in what was . Before 1861, 55 portraits were made, of which 34 were by Pierson. Italian Virgiana Oldoini , countess of Castiglione , she was the spy of french emperor NapoleonIII, holding an oval picture frame up to her eye,. The Eternal Father did not know what he was creating the day he sent her into the world. She inspired the novel Exposition by Nathalie Lger. Detail, Louis Pierson's photographic portrait of the Countess of Castiglione, ca. You cant very well go around calling your child a 30-syllable name, so it makes sense that Oldoinis parents dubbed their little girl Nicchia. Believe it or not, the countess never had a large-scale public exhibition of her photos. Born Virginie Oldoini in 1837, this Italian worman coming from Tuscan nobility married Franois Verasis, Count of Castiglione, in 1854. It wasnt boredom, but indiscretion which provoked Napoleon to discard her. Prussia had just absolutely destroyed France in the Franco-Prussian war, and German forces were considering occupying Paris and threatening the countesss luxurious way of life. The Countess was a rebel, she did not conform to the traditional roles of a woman and a wife, as it was expected of her and did what she pleased. By signing up, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy & to receive electronic communications from Vice Media Group, which may include marketing promotions, advertisements and sponsored content. Countess de Castiglione, from Srie des Roses, 1895 | Public Domain. A series of photos show leafless trees as massive sculptural . Sign up for our newsletter. Soldier Boy Confronts Crimson Countess The Boys Clip Prime Video. Duranti is FAR TOO OLD to pull it off. Giorgio Verasis di Castiglione (1855-1879) Virginia Oldoni Rapallini, Countess of Castiglione (22 March 1837 - 28 November 1899), better known as La Castiglione, was an Italian aristocrat who achieved notoriety as a mistress of Emperor Napoleon III of France. Sep 10, 2013 - The 19th-century Italian aristocrat, better known as as La Castiglione, was an iconic model, muse, mistress, narcissist, and queen of drama. She had been secretly entrusted with a significant mission: to persuade Emperor Napoleon III into agreeing on the unification of Italy. If so, then presumably swings and sex will have been connected since they were first invented. Glamorous, with an emphasis on form and fashion, the images were among the first of their kind. Virginia Oldoni Rapallini, Countess of Castiglione (22 March 1837 - 28 November 1899), better known as La Castiglione, was an Italian aristocrat who achieved notoriety as a mistress of Emperor Napoleon III of France. understated; she did everything from choosing the camera angle to painting the photographs herself. The Countess of Castiglione would appear to have been obsessed with her own image since she had herself photographed during a period of over forty years by Pierre-Louis Pierson (1822-1913), the first photo being taken in July 1856, the last in 1895. In these photos, her head is cropped out. She was notoriously obsessive about this aspect of her work, repositioning the camera with persnickety precision when she didnt like what she saw. She also insisted on photographing him constantly, pulling him into many of her projects and often making him serve as her stand-in when she set up shots. Rest in peace, you OG diva. Most of the photographs depict the Countess in theatrical outfits, such as the Queen of Hearts dress. Her cousin, Camilo Benso, was a minister in the court of Victor Emmanuel II, the King of Sardinia. Here is the version with Yvonne De Carlo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpDoq0k649w. She wasnt cheap, either. Historys most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily. Browse 131,614 countess of chichester stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. She lived in an apartment in the Place Vendme where she painted the rooms entirely in black and banned mirrors. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Between her busy schedule romancing Napoleon, the countess also found time for another juicy hobby: She loved taking vain photos. Read more: Dead Woman in the Bathtub: Why Are We So Fascinated by Ophelia's Suicide? . Suddenly, her regime of funereal black rooms, veils, and never leaving the house makes tragic sense. Thanks! [3] George Frederic Watts painted her portrait in 1857. Though most of the 700+ photos depicted her wearing her singularly extravagant outfits, some photos were salacious for the time, depicting her naked legs and feet. On March 22, 1837, the Countess was born into her very own gilded, velvet world. In this fragment of a reflection, her gaze is steady, staring right down the camera lens. Instead, she sent her ex a present in the mail. It wasnt all disreputable behavior in the court of Napoleon III, and the countesss proximity to the emperor threw her into the paths of some of the most important figures in Europe at the time, including legendary German statesman Otto von Bismarck, who was like Angela Merkel before Angela Merkel was cool. A pioneering model and a bounty of Narcissism , she took self love to a completely different tangent. HardtIllustrations. After four years in Italy, her political acumen was vindicated when the Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed. Send me exclusive offers, unique gift ideas, and personalized tips for shopping and selling on Etsy. Her name was Virginia Oldoini, and after marrying Count Francesco Verasis da Castiglione, she acquired the title that would make her famous: Countess of Castiglione. The Countess of Castiglione had no love lost for Empress Eugenie, Napoleons wife. 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Was born virginia Oldoini in 1837, the Countess never had a affair...