Voyeurism? George Frederic Watts painted her portrait in . As an older woman robbed of the beauty that defined her, La Castiglione left the world quietly, in isolation and in darkness. Thanks for your help! In 1856 she began sitting for Mayer and Pierson, photographers favored by the imperial court. Nice finds, Kendra. Genealogy for Virginia Elisabetta Luisa Carlotta Antonietta Teresa Maria Oldoini, Countess of Castiglione (1837 - 1899) family tree on Geni, with over 240 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. That same year, she returned to France and settled in Passy. Virginia Oldoini Verasis, countess di Castiglione, (born March 22, 1835, Florence, duchy of Tuscany [Italy]died Nov. 28, 1899, Paris, France), Tuscan noblewoman who occupied a predominant position in the courts of both Turin and Paris and influenced Franco-Italian political relations. Victorian. She may have been persuasive because Paris was spared Prussian occupation.[5]. 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. A number of photographs depict her in poses that were risqu for the era notably, images that expose her bare legs and feet. 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. This was in the early 2000s, so it was only recently that I looked it up on Wikipedia, and found my inference was actually pretty accurate given I had no idea what anyone was saying. Well, she did pay for the consequences of her nastiness. Check out that AMAZEBALLS HAIR! Sign up for our newsletter. Oh, but it wasnt over yet. Others claim that they were largely a private collectionrarely circulated, and never used to commercial ends. In 1871, things werent looking good for the Countess of Castiglione. Virginia had successfully enticed the Emperor and became his mistress, much to the dissatisfaction of his wife, Empress Eugenie. Your suggestions can be as general or specific as you like, from Life to Compact Cars and Trucks to A Subspecies of Capybara Called Hydrochoerus Isthmius. Well get our writers on it because we want to create articles on the topics youre interested in. Though this might sound tame, these poses were so indecent by 19th-century standards, she had to crop out her face. She was notoriously obsessive about this aspect of her work, repositioning the camera with persnickety precision when she didnt like what she saw. The Wikipedia article for Virginia Oldoni, Countess of Castiglione, places her behind the scenes at some critical points in Franco-Italian history, France supporting Italian unification and Prussia not occupying Paris. When he opened it, he was horrified. When Oldoini broke up with Napoleon III, she didnt stop entertaining, and she continued to have hot and heavy affairs with a series of important suitors throughout her life. When the Countess bragged and showed off the many gifts the emperor gave her, these lapses in her discretion prompted the dissolution of their relationship. Costume ball at the palace of Tuileries: Napoleon III and the Countess de Castiglione 1867, Carpeaux Jean Baptiste , Orsay Museum, France,. In fact, he specifically told the countess to succeed by whatever means you wishbut succeed. . The Countess of Castiglione began life as Virginia Oldoini, a celebrated beauty and a member of the minor nobility in Florence, Tuscany. Uh, this didnt exactly go well for her. Her cousin, Camilo Benso, was a minister in the court of Victor Emmanuel II, the King of Sardinia. James Hyman Gallery presented recently the very first London exhibition of one of the greatest figures in the history of photography, the Countess of Castiglione.. Scherzo di Follia by Pierre-Louis Pierson, Vintage European Art Print, Countess of Castiglione Photo, PRINTABLE Wall Art, Digital Download. Read more: Dead Woman in the Bathtub: Why Are We So Fascinated by Ophelia's Suicide? You might call her the Godmother of the staged Surrealist selfie. From 1856 to 1895, she had more than 400 photographs of herself . understated; she did everything from choosing the camera angle to painting the photographs herself. Send me exclusive offers, unique gift ideas, and personalized tips for shopping and selling on Etsy. Theres just NOTHING 19th century about this look, and 2. She Was Born Into Privilege. Want to know more interesting facts? The sexual allusion is well known and discussed among art historians and scholars of libertine culture of the 18th_C, I had an art history professor describe The Swing as an up-skirt par excellence!. But whether the relationship was for business or pleasure, it nonetheless helped the Countess establish an immediate reputation. Do you ever watch movies in languages you cant understand? Find Countess Of Castiglione stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. The altered image further suggests the client's intervention.. Ritrosetta 261287 . Portrait Photography. As commented by Hundred Heroines historian Haley Drolet, 'In what is perhaps her most recognisable photograph, La comtesse de Castiglione (1865), Oldoni stares directly at the viewer through a small black frame. Factinate is a fact website that is dedicated to finding and sharing fun facts about science, history, animals, films, people, and much more. The two women were exact opposites in many ways: Oldoini was liberal and fun-loving, while Eugenie was serious and devoted to her country. Quite expected from a Queen. While at Napoleons court, the Countess of Castiglione became famous for more than just her sheet smarts; she was also a fashion plate. He commented that La Castiglione was a dull doll, implying that what she had in looks, she lacked in personality. Self-knowledge? After teaming up with photographer Pierre-Louis Pierson, Oldoini amassed over 700 19th-century selfies. ", 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. Virginia Oldoini was born into a noble family in 1837, in Florence,Tuscany. She seems to have made being beautiful the cornerstone of her identity and so was unable to cope when she began to age, though she remained a fine looking woman she no longer matched her self image. If you own the rights to content here and wish it removed, please contact us. In these photos, her head is cropped out. The Countess of Castiglione made her mark in very difficult times. dressed in a gorgeous gown and holding a knife in her hand, titled "La Venegance . But the alternative in which the lover (or he or politics) is placed will lead her to choose, albeit reluctantly, her patriotic task.. Want to know more interesting facts? On an early trip to Paris, she and her husband met with Camillo, Count of Cavour. HardtIllustrations. InParisfor a delicate worldly-diplomatic mission, entrusted by her cousinCount of Cavourto the court of Napoleon III, the beautiful Virginia Oldoini (known as Countess of Castiglione), meets a young Mazzinian carbonaro (an ancient flame of hers), contrary to Cavourian politics. If so, her final hours were gruesome: she was eaten by a swarm of giant coconut crabs. Surprising almost no one, Oldoini wasnt afraid to be very risqu in her photographsbut her most scandalous photos were also her most bizarre. Rest in peace, you OG diva. She paired with the imperial court photographers Mayer & Pierson from 1856 to 1895, utilizing the technology of painted photographs to craft multiple, sometimes conflicting, portraits of her nature. Oldoinis photograph was a warning shot to her estranged husband: In the portrait, the well-dressed countess was also holding a knife in her hand, half-hidden in the folds of her dress. That wasp-waisted dress is the plaidest thing I have ever seen! In recent years, the Countess has been dubbed everything from "selfie queen" to "supreme narcissist" to Surrealist pioneer. On March 22, 1837, the Countess was born into her very own gilded, velvet world. 14.01, 17.51 She replied in kind, No, Sire. 20 Jan 2023 02:54:18 Countess de Castiglione, from Srie des Roses, 1895 | Public Domain. The Countess de Castiglione was a rare creature indeed: a full-blown 19th-century narcissist with unlimited access to a camera. Kendra is a librarian at a university, specializing in history and fashion. Most tragically, this was not to be. The studio specialized in hand-painted photography, an explosively popular technique. Some 90 works from a remarkable series of photographic portraits documenting the public life and private fantasies of a legendary 19th-century beauty go on view at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on September 19, 2000, in the exhibition "La Divine Comtesse," Photographs of the Countess de Castiglione. The Countess was a Narcissist, seeking attention and applause to the point where men found her to be a pain in the neck. Count Franceso went with her, and everybody knows that a middle-aged husband can really cramp your courtesan style. By Pierre-Louis Pierson, albumen silver print from glass negative.In what became the introduction to their First Period (1856-1857) of work, Pierre-Louis Pierson photographed the Countess of Castiglione at his Mayer & Pierson studio in July of 1856. Once there, she looked the courtesan up and down before sniffing, The heart is a little low, madam. Gaining the attention of Napoleon III proved more difficult than expected. The Countess of Castigliones self-seclusion later in her life was rooted not just in vanity but also in tragedy. See more ideas about countess, vintage photos, vintage photography. She was noted for her fair complexion, delicate oval face, long blonde hair, and eyes that changed color from blue-violet to green. As well see later, though, Francesco wasnt even done yet. Her narcissism in regard to her own photographic image was a precursor to the self-portraits we've seen throughout the 20th century. This scandalous move of hers took the forum by surprise. Four years later, the Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed, conceivably in part due to the influence that the Countess had exerted on Napoleon III. Count Camilo, was fixed with the ambition to unify Italy. The countesss response was swift and brutal. With the fruits of her husbands fortune and her natural beauty, the Countess of Castiglione affected grandiose and eye-catching entrances. Robert de Montesquiou, a French poet, was once such Romeo so obsessed with his Juliet, that he collected 400 of her photographs. The two women were exact opposites in many ways: Oldoini was liberal and fun-loving, while Eugenie was serious and devoted to her country. Making distraction rewarding since 2017. I recently stumbled across this 1942 version starring Doris Duranti as the countess on YouTube (the other main film about the countess is the 1954The Contessas Secret starring Yvonne de Carlo; if anyone knows where I can watch it, let me know!). The fashion choice let Eugenie know that even if she wasnt Empress, the countess still reigned over Napoleons heart. Edwardian Era. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. Today. Where Does Dust Come From, and Does it Have a Sinister Side? In the end, the countess was true to herself, making it clear "I am not here for you. Countess of Castiglione (1837 - 1899), was a beautiful 19th-century Italian aristocrat. 6 La Divina Contessa. 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. Duly, she ignored the usual diplomatic routes and inveigled herself into prime position as the emperor's mistress. 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countess of castiglione knife photo