In fact, he specifically told the countess to succeed by whatever means you wishbut succeed. Send me exclusive offers, unique gift ideas, and personalized tips for shopping and selling on Etsy. The dress, while dotted with hearts, was almost entirely see-through, and the good old countess wasnt wearing a corset. Historys most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily. It was a short-lived affair, lasting less than a year. He tried to claim custody of their only son Giorgio, using his wifes lavish lifestyle as proof of her bad mothering. 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. ", For More Stories Like This, Sign Up for Our Newsletter. Watch fullscreen. Theres no doubt that the French court was initially obsessed with the countess, and she became the It Girl du jour. Behind her sits a child, his face blurred and ghostly mid-motion. Find Virginia Oldoini, Countess Of Castiglione stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. All eyes were on her whenever she entered a room, and her costumes were the talk of the court. He left her in a corner without assigning her a place.". But unlike our pitiful selfies, Oldoini turned self-obsession into a cottage industryin fact, its what shes famous for today. 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 art, ignoring its traditional usage of simple portraiture. But the most intriguing aspect of the image is one of its smallest components: the small hand-mirror this woman wields. The Countess was a Narcissist, seeking attention and applause to the point where men found her to be a pain in the neck. She was renowned for her beauty, which helped take her life in a couple of interesting directions. Four years later, the Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed, conceivably in part due to the influence that the Countess had exerted on Napoleon III. The Countess continued to enjoy her expensive taste in men and self-indulgence until it took an eerie turn. Check out that AMAZEBALLS HAIR! Ignored by her father, she was educated by her grandfather Ranieri Lamporecchi. Granted Castiglione was obsessed by her own beauty but so was everybody around her. Count Camilo, was fixed with the ambition to unify Italy. With the conservative, almost prudish taboo the Victorians had against showing womens legs, ankles, and feet, her outfit astonished partygoers while bringing her extraordinary beauty to the forefront. Self-knowledge? Lets just say that the convincing Camillo had in mind wasnt the kind that involves long debates and dusty books, oh heck no. . Although their relationship was technically collaborative, the Countess held all the cards: meticulously dictating the costumes, the sets, the scenes, and the ways in which images should be painted and embellished afterwards (some were given to the artist Aquilin Schad to overlay with gouache, while others she scribbled on herself). In 1879, little Giorgio passed from smallpox, predeceasing his utterly bereft mother by a cruel 20 years. But it only got worse. RF2HW4NH9 - Art inspired by Countess de Castiglione, 1895, Albumen silver print from glass negative, Approximately 14.3 x 9.9 cm (5 5/8 x 3 7/8 in. One day, Napoleon was hosting yet another lavish ball, and the countess took the opportunity to flex her power. | A Bizarre Fact That Will Blow Your Mind, Zunzuncito | Bee Size Bird You Didt Know About, Lake Natron | The Lake That Turns Animals To Stone, The Aztec Gods: The Top 10 Most Important Aztec Gods And Goddesses You Should Know About, The Unicorn: Scotlands Fabled National Animal. All thanks to him, the relic could finally be displayed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where she deserves to be. The Truth Always Comes Out: Dark Family Secrets Exposed, Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress, Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIIIs First Wife, Suave Facts About Timothy Dalton, The Disappearing Bond, Suave Facts About Sean Connery, Hollywood Rogue, Mysterious Facts About Josephine Earp, The Mendacious Wild West Woman, Scandalous Facts About Antony Armstrong-Jones, The Earl Of Snowdon. Those partners may have their own information theyve collected about you. James Hyman Gallery is delighted to return to Photo London and to present the very first London exhibition of one of the greatest figures in the history of photography, the Countess of Castiglione. So, I basically got about 1% of the dialogue, and very little of the story, so it was basically like watching a beautiful silent film. By 1860, The Divine Countess had fallen from grace in Napoleons court and had become an eyesore for the Emperor who had moved onto newer conquests. She also produced many photographs of herself depicting famous women from the Bible, history, and mythology. Married in 1854 to Count Francesco Verasis di Castiglione, who was attached to the court of King Victor . Countess of Castiglione, c.1865 (Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons) Curiosities. La Castiglione lived and died for beauty, but her inner beauty wasnt up to the standards implied by her physical assets. She not only entered the ballroom with the emperor on her arm, she also did it while wearing a Queen of Hearts costume. He listened. . She was the prophetess of self-portraits, anticipating Frida Kahlo, Cindy Sherman and . Virginia Oldoiniknown better to history as the Countess of Castiglionewas mad, bad, and dangerous to know. Library. The Countess of Castiglione in collaboration with Pierre-Louis Pierson. Italian Virgiana Oldoini , countess of Castiglione , she was the spy of french emperor NapoleonIII, holding an oval picture frame up to her eye,. On March 22, 1837, the Countess was born into her very own gilded, velvet world. Though the credit goes to Otto von Bismarck for his bravery, Virginia Oldioni, The Countess of Castiglione, though not following a diplomatic route, was a great influence in the Unification of Italy. 10.25.2016 by The Court Jeweller // Leave a Comment. Her arrogance was stupendous. (20% off), Sale Price 4.68 When Francesco tried to claim custody of her only beloved son Giorgio, the Countess of Castiglione didnt take it lying down. Linocut La Castiglione in the mirror. Children. The studio specialized in hand-painted photography, an explosively popular technique. James Hyman Gallery. 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. She returned to Italy in 1857, appalled by her slowly wrinkling face, discolouration of her skin and losing the twinkle in her eye, which caught her lovers in a trance. He was twelve years her senior. As an older woman robbed of the beauty that defined her, La Castiglione left the world quietly, in isolation and in darkness. In recent years, the Countess has been dubbed everything from "selfie queen" to "supreme narcissist" to Surrealist pioneer. Thanks for your help! She was a diplomat, an opportunistic fashion rebel and a pioneer in the self-constructed photographic image. One choice cringey line? Italian Virginia Oldoini , countess of Castiglione , she was the spy of french emperor NapoleonIII, here photo by Pierre-Louis Pierson with gouache. She was also a significant figure in the early history of photography. The Oldoini cousins couldnt have picked a better mark than Napoleon III. While there, she was granted a pension for her diplomatic accomplishments. Directed and staged by the Countess, herself, and created in collaboration with the studio photographer Pierre-Louis Pierson . La comtesse de Castiglione - Passy, 1861-1867. The Italian aristocrats legendary beauty and photographic misadventures turned her into the worlds first model, but thats not what made her infamous. King Napoleon III did not have a clean history when it came to being loyal to his wife. 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. Log in. Running Time 1 hr 25 min. At the age of 17, Virginia married Francesco Verazis. You might call her the Godmother of the staged Surrealist selfie. 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 . Today. She had many lovers, including a banker of the Rothschild family and the then director of the Louvre Museum.[2]. ", But Apraxine notes that the Countess' work anticipated several trends in contemporary art and feminist art in particular, prefiguring artists like Cindy Sherman, Claude Cahun, Gillian Wearing, Yasumasa Morimura, and Sophie Calle, all of whom used photography to explore the significance of dressing up, adopting appearances, and manipulating the means of being viewed by othersthough Apraxine cautions against viewing the Countess' work as feminist or a "conscious source of the pictorial innovations to follow. But then the Countess took the feud to the next level. DISCLAIMER: Frock Flicks claims no credit for images featured on this site unless noted. 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. But in the end, she would only be his mistress for less than a year, limiting her ability to manipulate him. 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. 1 Born into Novelty. Read more: Maria Rasputin: The Fascinating Life of the Mad Monks Daughter. 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. This scandalous move of hers took the forum by surprise. When Virginia was just 17 years old, her parents wasted no time in marrying her off to Francesco Verasis, the Count of Castiglione. Along with photographer Pierre-Louis Pierson, Virginia managed to take around 700 photographs of herself. Plus, you know, there was the whole other woman thing. "The Countess, who was perceived as a disturbing character whose motives were unclear, was understood to have taken up photography merely to satisfy her narcissism," he argues. Instead, she sent her ex a present in the mail. While Germany was considering occupying France, Oldoinis old friend Otto von Bismarck called her up personally and set up a secret meeting to ask her advice on the matter. September 14, 2020. She wished to set up an exhibit of her photographs at the Exposition Universelle (1900), though this did not happen. | Gown for the Comtesse di Castiglione, Ert (Romain de Tirtoff), 1861-1867, LACMA. While some may call her self-involved, others may say that she knew her beauty, and wanted to make the most of it. Feb 4, 2014 - Explore Alessandra Casiraghi's board "Virginia Oldoini", followed by 216 people on Pinterest. Commissioned by the countess herself and created under her supervision, the images more . Born Virginia Elisabetta Luisa Carlotta Antonietta Teresa Maria Oldoni 1937 to an aristocratic family from La Spezia, Virginia Oldoini, Countess of Castigli. The French court photographer Pierre-Louis Pierson took more than 400 portraits of the Countess Castiglione, considered the most beautiful woman of her time,during a 40-year collaboration. Price on request. The first book, "Exposition," translated by Amanda DeMarco, is about the Countess of Castiglione, a nineteenth-century aristocrat who dedicated herself to becoming the most photographed woman . The film starts with the countess in her prime, at the opera, where everyone is dying over how gorgeous she is with good reason: Shes all stunning white with a giant hoop, and nobody can take their eyes off her. Search. We want our readers to trust us. 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. [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. It was also published on its own in 1973. Costume ball at the palace of Tuileries: Napoleon III and the Countess de Castiglione 1867, Carpeaux Jean Baptiste , Orsay Museum, France,. The separation wasnt just an idle threat, either. In other words: Bed that boy, and fast. La Comtesse de Castiglione, 1856-1857. See more ideas about countess, vintage photos, vintage photography. 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. Her narcissism in regard to her own photographic image was a precursor to the self-portraits we've seen throughout the 20th century. There was one, and just exactly one, bright spot in Virginias marriage to her fuddy-duddy count: Their son together, Giorgio. By the time she gained notoriety as Napoleon IIIs mistress, she had bankrupted her husband, who pushed for an irrevocable marital separation due to her infidelity and insupportable spending habits. 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. On March 22, 1837, the Countess was born into her very own gilded, velvet world. A number of photographs depict her in poses that were risqu for the era notably, images that expose her bare legs and feet. You might call her the Godmother of the staged Surrealist selfie. The photo projects continued occasionally. It was called "Nicchia". She often hand painted over her photographs and directed her shots, to put forward her best angle, much like a supermodel. She was an important figure to the history of photography during the 19th century. Instead, she preferred to stand in the middle of the room and let men fawn over her as if she were a shrine. Prim, proper, and dutiful Eugenie had to suffer in contempt when she got the full view of the Countess of Castigliones costumeand I do mean the full view. Tags1860sCountess of CastiglioneEmpress EugenieGino Sensanigreat hairinspired by a true storyItalyNapoleon IIIshuddup I love biopics. 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. He spent thirteen years writing a biography, La Divine Comtesse, which appeared in 1913. By dying in 1899, she also missed out on the 20th centuryan era where photography would only continue to dominate media and society. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. Robert de Montesquiou, a French poet, was once such Romeo so obsessed with his Juliet, that he collected 400 of her photographs. Eugenie reportedly found a way to waltz over to the barely-dressed countess. Original Price 6.20 Sadly, as well see, she might have had a darker reason for this behavior. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery. In hindsight, its not a very good idea to send a teenager into enemy territory with instructions to sleep her way to the top. Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIIIs rejected queenbut few people know her even darker history. Soon enough, it all came crashing down. The photo was entitled La Vengeance. The photograph, titled "Portrait in a Black Dress," is commonly assumed to be the first Pierson took of . The swing pic may refer to this painting by Fragonard? 14.01, 17.51 Her memoirs reveal some disturbing and embarrassing details. You know youve made it when someone compares you to a literal goddess. Get your fix of fascinating trivia in our 5-minute newsletter. Nevertheless, her allure and artistry came with a baggage, known to only a few. Daphne Guinness, eat your heart out. Most of the images they produced were of specific characters drawn from myth, art, literature, or the Bible, including Lady Macbeth, Anne Boleyn, the queen of Eritrea, Judith before beheading Holofernes, a nun, and even a corpse. As her name implies, Oldoinis parents had big expectations for the little girlexpectations that would soon ruin her entire life. Not surprising enough, the Countess took questionable pictures of herself, baring her legs and feet to the camera. The meeting takes place precisely at the crucial moment of the countesss intrigues at the French court, and seeing her ancient love rekindles in her the passion never completely dormant. View contact information for cast and crew. Copyright 2023 by Factinate.com. Join thousands of others and start your morning with our Fact Of The Day newsletter. Now I know better. The Eternal Father did not know what he was creating the day he sent her into the world. Find Countess Of Castiglione stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Victoria And Albert Museum. After four years in Italy, her political acumen was vindicated when the Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed. She has bracelets on each wrist and hair partially pinned up, one ringlet trailing down her neck. Her birth name- Virginia Elisabetta Luisa Carlotta Antonietta Teresa Maria Oldoni, was as long as the legacy she left behind. Select from premium Virginia Oldoini, Countess Of Castiglione of the highest quality. 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