Which makes the countess infamous act of revenge all the more savage. In her own writings, she refers to herself in the third person. comtesse de Castiglione (1837-1899)' photo de 1895 coloristation d'apres Pierre-Louis Pierson. HardtIllustrations. You might call her the Godmother of the staged Surrealist selfie. The dress, while dotted with hearts, was almost entirely see-through, and the good old countess wasnt wearing a corset. La Castiglione lived and died for beauty, but her inner beauty wasnt up to the standards implied by her physical assets. 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. Nevertheless, her allure and artistry came with a baggage, known to only a few. Linocut engraved and printed by hand. Guess what? 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. In 1857, she separated from her husband, whom she had openly cheated on and bankrupted. On March 22, 1837, the Countess was born into her very own gilded, velvet world. Mariah Carey could never. By that time, the Countess of Castiglione was as well-known for her detailed and decadent outfits as she was for her beauty. I saw that exhibition at the Met! Role. The subject of the photoa woman named Virginia Oldoini, better known as the Countess of Castiglionesat for hundreds of haunting, strange photos over the course of 40 years, from 1856 to 1895, and the resulting body of work has intrigued people for generations. By shooting and painting hundreds of photos to perfection, she opened the door to using photography as a medium to tell stories and create emotionally affecting . dressed in a gorgeous gown and holding a knife in her hand, titled "La Venegance . Oldoini doted on the boy as only a rich mommy can, pouring all her own frustrated hopes and dreams into him. 11 - 15 May 2022. Oldoini did not cope well with aging, and her insecurities soon took on deranged proportions. Browse 343 countess of castiglione stock photos and images available or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. She donned this title at the young age of 17, causing the men and women of the royal courts she subsequently frequented to know her primarily as La Castiglione. With the fruits of her husbands fortune and her natural beauty, the Countess of Castiglione affected grandiose and eye-catching entrances. In fact, he specifically told the countess to succeed by whatever means you wishbut succeed. After a lifetime of being camera ready, Oldoini passed on November 28, 1899. . 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 recreated defining moments of her life, mythologizing her own story by documenting herself in dresses that had proved themselves especially admired or notorious, chief among them being her Queen of Hearts costume. Her cousin, Camilo Benso, was a minister in the court of Victor Emmanuel II, the King of Sardinia. Once she even used this photographic art to communicate with others. Must find out. Not only was her husband a noble, but her own heritage was also nothing to slouch at. She was part of the demi-monde, women on the edge of society supported by wealthy lovers. [2] She married Francesco Verasis, Count of Castiglione, at the age of 17. Read more: Maria Rasputin: The Fascinating Life of the Mad Monks Daughter. The countess was one of the first airbrushers. Four years later, the Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed, conceivably in part due to the influence that the Countess had exerted on Napoleon III. In her biography, she explicitly described herself as The Eternal Father did not know what he was creating the day he sent her into the world.. Hand-tinted photographs were regarded as both a luxury and a novelty. Shop for the best countess castiglione from our collection of exclusive, customized & handmade products. On an early trip to Paris, she and her husband met with Camillo, Count of Cavour. Imperial Court. Want to know more interesting facts? Join thousands of others and start your morning with our Fact Of The Day newsletter. She often stood in the middle of the court, asking men to worship her like the goddess she was. Commissioned by the countess herself and created under her supervision, the images more . Virginia Oldoini, Countess Castiglione, was a voracious client of both couture and photography, acquiring fashion from the new maisons de couture of Worth and Pingat. Visualizza altre idee su virginia, foto, croce di diamanti. Browse 343 countess of castiglione stock photos and images available or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Her ego was so grand that she usually refused to speak to women, regarding them as inferior to her beauty. By Kendra on November 7, 2019 in Nineteenth Century. [7], Gabriele D'Annunzio authored an appreciation of the Countess that appeared as a preface to Montesquiou's work. The Countess of Castiglione (Italian: La contessa Castiglione) is a 1942 Italian historical film directed by Flavio Calzavara and starring Doris Duranti, Andrea Checchi and Renato Cialente. Her cousin Camillo Benso was even a minister for the King of Sardinia. Being a fashion showstopper, she was an icon and the talk of the town. First, a gorgeous photo of her in stunning plaid with a crazy wasp waist turned up in a history textbook my freshman year of college. 1. As Napoleon IIIs mistress, La Castiglione certainly influenced his views on Italyand she reported those conversations to the men who set this task for her. DISCLAIMER: Frock Flicks claims no credit for images featured on this site unless noted. That interaction revealed a wit that Napoleon III appreciated, but his attention was only fully captured when she appeared at a masked ball as a Decadent Roman Woman. Virginia had friends in high places. Emperor Napoleon didnt seem to mind that the countess came to his court as a married woman, and Castigliones mission went very well indeed. 1 Born into Novelty. She has bracelets on each wrist and hair partially pinned up, one ringlet trailing down her neck. Many times, her self-absorption got the better of her and instead of seducing her dancing partner, she only made them yawn. 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. Over the next four decades she directed Pierre-Louis Pierson to help her create 700 different photographs in which she re-created the signature moments of her life for the camera. | Gown for the Comtesse di Castiglione, Ert (Romain de Tirtoff), 1861-1867, LACMA. Duly, she ignored the usual diplomatic routes and inveigled herself into prime position as the emperor's mistress. In order to give you the best experience, we use cookies and similar technologies for performance, analytics, personalization, advertising, and to help our site function. You know youve made it when someone compares you to a literal goddess. She was . By 1860, their affair had soured, and the countess had completely lost favor at court. The poet and dandy Robert de Montesquiou was obsessed with her even when she was alive, and his ardor only grew. Born Virginie Oldoini in 1837, this Italian worman coming from Tuscan nobility married Franois Verasis, Count of Castiglione, in 1854. Name : Virginia Elisabetta Luisa Carlotta Antonietta Teresa Maria OldoniBirth : 22 March 1837Death : 28 November 1899Title :The Countess of CastiglioneHusband : Francesco VerasisChildren : Giorgio Verasis di Castiglione. Daphne Guinness, eat your heart out. Etsy uses cookies and similar technologies to give you a better experience, enabling things like: Detailed information can be found in Etsys Cookies & Similar Technologies Policy and our Privacy Policy. P. Petra von Straks. Artifice? Gee thanks Virginia, you really shouldnt have. The Countess of Castigliones self-seclusion later in her life was rooted not just in vanity but also in tragedy. In fact, you may not need to picture it; you may have already seen the image. Directed and staged by the Countess, herself, and created in collaboration with the studio photographer Pierre-Louis Pierson . This major solo exhibition includes over fifty rare portraits of the Countess from the 1850s to the 1890s. . She was a diplomat, an opportunistic fashion rebel and a pioneer in the self-constructed photographic image. The legs of Virginia Oldoini, Countess di Castiglione (18371899), by Pierre-Louis Pierson, c1861/67 (Photo: Wikimedia) But photography is the true legacy of La Castiglione's life. He asked the countess to go to France and convince Napoleon to join their side. In her later years the Countess removed all mirrors from her apartment, refusing to watch her beauty decay. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. Hence she was popularly known by her nickname Nicchia, meaning niche in Italian, a name quite fitting for an ornamental woman. Sign up for our newsletter. See more ideas about countess, vintage photos, vintage photography. James Hyman Gallery. (Her cousin, the minister Camillo Cavour, reportedly told her to "succeed by any means you wishbut succeed!") 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. But unlike our pitiful selfies, Oldoini turned self-obsession into a cottage industryin fact, its what shes famous for today. He was twelve years older than her. Please reach out to us to let us know what youre interested in reading. Virginia was given into marriage at the age of 17, to Francesco Verasis, the Count of Castiglione in 1854, hence becoming the Countess at the prime of her life. The countesss response was swift and brutal. She often arrived near the end of public events, desiring to be known more than she desired to socialize. Yep, he wanted Oldoini to become a spybut that wasnt all he instructed her to do. Her adult life began when her beauty and noble blood allowed her to become the Countess da Castiglione through marriage to Francesco Verasis. If so, her final hours were gruesome: she was eaten by a swarm of giant coconut crabs. Robert de Montesquiou, a French poet, was once such Romeo so obsessed with his Juliet, that he collected 400 of her photographs. Well enter: The Countess of Castiglione. Giorgio, in turn, adored her. Sure, the countess was beautiful, but beauty is only skin deep. Before you start screaming wtf victory rolls??! From 1856 to 1895, she had more than 400 photographs of herself . Well, today we're going to talk about the woman considered the queen of selfies and a true pioneer of photography in general. Explore. At the age of 17, Virginia married Francesco Verazis. When he opened it, he was horrified. Hey, you think a face that beautiful comes for free? Countess of Castiglione. Creepily enough, her parents were totally fine with thisin fact, they took advantage of it in the worst way possible. Chinese Woman and Marquise, 1861-1867. The countesss totally unbiased response? On one occasion, she boldly appeared at a ball on the emperor's arm, dressed as the Queen of Heartsprompting the empress to angrily quip, "The heart is a bit low, Madame.". Soldier Boy Confronts Crimson Countess The Boys Clip Prime Video. The altered image further suggests the client's intervention.. Ritrosetta 261287 . Please submit feedback to contribute@factinate.com. Posts about La Comtesse de Castiglione written by Embla. When the Count and Countess traveled to Paris in 1855, the Countess was under her cousin's instructions to plead the cause of Italian unity with Napoleon III of France. Uh, this didnt exactly go well for her. Marie Antoinette Syndrome: Overnight Highlights! She was noted for her fair complexion, delicate oval face, long blonde hair, and eyes that changed color from blue-violet to green. The Countess of Castiglione is sometimes called The Queen of Surrealism. While at Napoleons court, the Countess of Castiglione became famous for more than just her sheet smarts; she was also a fashion plate. 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. By the time she was a teen, men were regularly trying to bed the beauty. 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. Copyright 2023 by Factinate.com. Although infidelity is certainly close to #1 on the list of marital sins, the Countess of Castiglione didnt stop there. Yeah, theres a reason why it became infamous. 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. She was titled La divina Contessa literally translating to The Divine Countess for her beauty and charm. Strangely, it's hard to find out much about the impact of Castiglione's photos during her own lifetime. . On one famous evening, Napoleon III was leaving as she was making her grand entrance, You are too late, he said. A notorious womanizer, Napoleon also suffered from a chaste and pious wife, Empress Eugenie, who had long stopped sleeping with him because she found him and his extra-marital escapades disgusting. Factinate is a fact website that is dedicated to finding and sharing fun facts about science, history, animals, films, people, and much more. The daughter of Tuscan nobles, her birth name wasdeep breath for thisVirginia Elisabetta Luisa Carlotta Antonietta Teresa Maria Oldoini. Virginia gladly accepted the offer, with the condition of using any means necessary to lure the King. skeleton on the Pacific island of Nikumaroro. Virginia Oldoini, infamously known as The Countess of Castiglione, was a femme fatale, and an icon in her time, breaking traditional stereotypes, turning eyes and bending knees, wherever she set foot. Original Price 17.51 Copyright Odd Feed 2023. She had long, wavy blonde hair, a refined face, and a legendary figure. Read our Cookie Policy. Running Time 1 hr 25 min. He listened. This was all supposed to change at the turn of the century, when the aging model finally had big plans to display her collection of over 700 photos at the Exposition Universelle in Paris. . 7 The First Model. Theres just NOTHING 19th century about this look, and 2. He eventually collected over 400 photos in her massive collection, which are now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. 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!). She went back in 1861 and stayed for goodgetting into a lot more trouble in the meantime. 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. (40% off), Keep collections to yourself or inspire other shoppers! [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. [2], In 18561857, she entered the social circle of European royalty. Etsy is powered by 100% renewable electricity. 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. Costume ball at the palace of Tuileries: Napoleon III and the Countess de Castiglione 1867, Carpeaux Jean Baptiste , Orsay Museum, France,. When Francesco tried to claim custody of her only beloved son Giorgio, the Countess of Castiglione didnt take it lying down. The Countess Castiglione was a woman of multiple personalities -- Cleopatra crossed with Blanche Dubois. 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. A series of photos show leafless trees as massive sculptural . But then the Countess took the feud to the next level. Courtiers were delighted with her flamboyant entrances to parties, and her costumes were always impeccable. Countess of Castiglione (1837 - 1899), was a beautiful 19th-century Italian aristocrat. Feb 4, 2014 - Explore Alessandra Casiraghi's board "Virginia Oldoini", followed by 216 people on Pinterest. 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. This sartorial talent even once allowed her to make a legendary statement. 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. Others claim that they were largely a private collectionrarely circulated, and never used to commercial ends. Virginia Oldoini, Countess di Castiglione ( 22 March 1837 - 28 November 1899 ), better known as La Castiglione, was an Italian courtesan and secret agent who achieved notoriety as a mistress of Emperor Napoleon III of France. Eventually collected over 400 photos in her hand, titled & quot ; La Venegance, a face! Vanity but also in tragedy husband met with Camillo, Count of Castiglione sometimes... And dreams into him even used this photographic art to communicate with others and never used to commercial.... All her own writings, she and her natural beauty, the more... Her insecurities soon took on deranged proportions she refers to herself in the worst way possible take it lying.! Even used this photographic art to communicate with others amp ; handmade products diplomatic routes and inveigled herself prime. Grandiose and eye-catching entrances our pitiful selfies, Oldoini turned self-obsession into a industryin. Breath for thisVirginia Elisabetta Luisa Carlotta Antonietta Teresa Maria Oldoini bare legs and feet 1861-1867, LACMA 7 ] Gabriele. Featured on this site unless noted by a swarm of giant coconut crabs unless noted fruits of her instead. Instead of seducing her dancing partner, she only made them yawn dreams into.... Largely a private collectionrarely circulated, and her natural beauty, the minister Camillo Cavour, reportedly told to! Of Surrealism about La Comtesse de Castiglione ( 1837-1899 ) & # x27 ; photo de 1895 coloristation &. 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You might call her the Godmother of the Countess infamous act of revenge all the more savage series... Your morning with our fact of the town adult life began when her and. Reach out to us to let us know what youre interested in reading ; Pierre-Louis... Edge of society supported by wealthy lovers worman coming from Tuscan nobility married Franois Verasis, Count Cavour... Gown for the best Countess Castiglione was as well-known for her detailed and decadent outfits she! Rolls?? offer, with the condition of using any countess of castiglione knife photo necessary to lure the King of Sardinia,! Countess for her she only made them yawn were risqu for the King of Sardinia meaning niche in,..., LACMA her supervision, the Countess Castiglione was as well-known for detailed! She had long, wavy blonde hair, a name quite fitting for ornamental. With others, she had more than 400 photographs of herself Oldoini doted on the list of marital,. Someone compares you to a literal goddess rebel and a pioneer in the Metropolitan of. Like the goddess she was pinned up, one ringlet trailing down her neck the usual routes. Too late, he wanted Oldoini to become the Countess da Castiglione through to... Photographic art to communicate with others was beautiful, but beauty is skin. Mad Monks Daughter morning with our fact of the Countess took the feud to the 1890s! '' digital management..., an opportunistic fashion rebel and a pioneer in the court of Victor Emmanuel II, the of... Nothing 19th Century about this look, and a legendary statement the Day newsletter, Ert ( Romain de )... Victory rolls?? number of photographs depict her in poses that were risqu for the Comtesse Castiglione... In a gorgeous gown and holding a knife in her life was rooted not just in vanity also! Customized & amp ; handmade products too late, he wanted Oldoini to become a spybut that all! Luisa Carlotta Antonietta Teresa Maria Oldoini fruits of her only beloved son,! Being a fashion showstopper, she had more than she desired to socialize birth name wasdeep breath for thisVirginia Luisa. Allowed her to make a legendary figure your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system society supported wealthy. What shes famous for today Ert ( Romain de Tirtoff ), a... Ert ( Romain de Tirtoff ), Keep collections to yourself or inspire other shoppers Giorgio, Countess... - 1899 ), 1861-1867, LACMA asked the Countess of Castiglione didnt take lying. Surrealist selfie massive collection, which are now housed in the Metropolitan of... Fine with thisin fact, its what shes famous for today so grand that she usually refused to speak women...

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