Yeah, theres a reason why it became infamous. On March 22, 1837, the Countess was born into her very own gilded, velvet world. Thanks! Genres Drama History. P. Petra von Straks. Others are disquieting. In recent years, the Countess has been dubbed everything from "selfie queen" to "supreme narcissist" to Surrealist pioneer. It was a seemingly innocent photograph of the beautiful countess dressed up in a luxurious gownbut when the count looked closer, his blood ran cold. In 1871, just after the defeat of France in the Franco-Prussian War, she was called to a secret meeting with Otto von Bismarck to explain to him how the German occupation of Paris could be fatal to his interests. 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. They made her out to be some sort of gigantic narcissist who only posed for photographs. These portraits helped to shape her very deliberate, highly controlled public personaone that irked plenty of her peers. Although the union gave Virginia the name we know her by today, it didnt give her a whole lot else. Throughout her life, the countess made use of her famous photography habit and would often send albums to her nearest and dearestall filled with picture after picture of her. This type of data sharing may be considered a sale of information under California privacy laws. The Countess de Castiglione was a rare creature indeed: a full-blown 19th-century narcissist with unlimited access to a camera. Whichever interpretation you prefer, it's probably a fitting one. Where Does Dust Come From, and Does it Have a Sinister Side? Although the still-teenaged Oldoini jumped at the chance to go to Paris and get away from her hum-drum life, there was one big wrench in her plans. First, the fabric. Aside from taking up with Napoleon III in full view of her husband Francesco, the countess also literally bankrupted the man with her expensive tastes. 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. And then it got worse, Despite her self-exile later in life, the Countess of Castiglione still found time to do the occasional photoshoot.but the results were chilling. dressed in a gorgeous gown and holding a knife in her hand, titled "La Venegance . Granted Castiglione was obsessed by her own beauty but so was everybody around her. He spent thirteen years writing a biography, La Divine Comtesse, which appeared in 1913. Our credibility is the turbo-charged engine of our success. After the fall of the Second Empire in 1870, the countess lived an increasingly reclusive and eccentric life in an apartment on the Place Vendme, venturing out only at night, shrouded in veils. When he tried to gain full custody over their only son Giorgio not so subtly indicating her bitterness and disgust towards her ex-husband. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. Nah, you dont wanna do that. She lived in an apartment in the Place Vendme where she painted the rooms entirely in black and banned mirrors. In her later years the Countess removed all mirrors from her apartment, refusing to watch her beauty decay. The countess was an early pioneer in photo alteration, and in fact she colorized many of her photos using different . Want to know more? Some of the portraits were sent out in albums to friends and admirers, often as a signal of her favor. So now Oldoini wasnt just a spy, she was a honeypot. 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. The Countess of Castigliones self-seclusion later in her life was rooted not just in vanity but also in tragedy. Her website, Dmod Couture, is one of the most well-known online resources for historical costumers. You might call her the Godmother of the staged Surrealist selfie. By that time, the Countess of Castiglione was as well-known for her detailed and decadent outfits as she was for her beauty. From 1856 to 1895, the Countess di Castiglionea great beauty and shameless narcissistcollaborated with photographer Pierre-Louis Pierson on more than 400 self-portraits. I would prefer a more historical and clothing accurate movie than the 1940s one and Im wondering since the countess was a supporter of the Italian Union did she know the Milanese Countess Maffei who was portrayed in the biopic series Verdi which had good costumes? Hand-tinted photographs were regarded as both a luxury and a novelty. 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. Recent evidence suggests that it may have belonged to aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart. Her room was painted black, windows sealed and mirrors removed from every nook and cranny. She also produced many photographs of herself depicting famous women from the Bible, history, and mythology. This sartorial talent even once allowed her to make a legendary statement. Countess of Castiglione (1837 - 1899), was a beautiful 19th-century Italian aristocrat. She was titled La divina Contessa literally translating to The Divine Countess for her beauty and charm. From 1856 to 1895, the Countess di Castiglionea great beauty and shameless narcissistcollaborated with photographer Pierre-Louis Pierson on more than 400 self-portraits. Right before her arranged marriage to the older count, Oldoini sowed her wild oats, and then some. Another wrote that, at gatherings, she would "allow people to her admire her as if she were a shrine She almost never spoke to women. View contact information for cast and crew. He eventually collected over 400 photos in her massive collection, which are now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Take full advantage of our site features by enabling JavaScript. Being a fashion showstopper, she was an icon and the talk of the town. I dont think narcissist is the right word. 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. The countesss response was swift and brutal. She achieved notoriety by becoming Napoleon III's mistress, a scandal that led her husband to demand marital separation. When her husband threatened to obtain custody of their child, she replied by sending him a photograph of herself in her Queen of Etruria costume, pointing a knife at the viewer. Tags1860sCountess of CastiglioneEmpress EugenieGino Sensanigreat hairinspired by a true storyItalyNapoleon IIIshuddup I love biopics. The photo was entitled La Vengeance. Self-knowledge? Wouldnt you know, she got custody of Giorgio for the rest of his life. It was called "Nicchia". Other than spending days dallying with her Romeo, the countess developed a new hobby during her expedition in France. From 1856 to 1895, she sat for hundreds of photo-shoots. 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. James Hyman Gallery. Voyeurism? 5 The Countess and Her Inamorato. Listen, girls know how to get things done. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. She was notoriously obsessive about this aspect of her work, repositioning the camera with persnickety precision when she didnt like what she saw. . Nice finds, Kendra. . It wasnt boredom, but indiscretion which provoked Napoleon to discard her. Please submit feedback to contribute@factinate.com. It holds just the right amount of intrigue with its arrangement of material and mirrors, as well as its ambiguous message: Vanity? Read our Cookie Policy. 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 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. Unfortunately, acquiring so many exceptional dresses, capes, and headpieces required lavish spending. Contents hide. The war against Austria was not his only conquest, he was also a skirt chaser, indulging in mischievous antics of infidelity, making him the perfect prey for the Countess. The Countess of Castiglione was obsessed with her own beauty, and meticulously art directed hundreds of portraits of herself over the course of her life. ), Photographs, Pierre-Louis Pierson (French, 1822-1913, Classic works modernized by Artotop with a splash of modernity. In 1856 she began sitting for Mayer and Pierson, photographers favored by the imperial court. Camillo encouraged seduction in no uncertain terms when he told her to succeed using any means necessary. However, she left a legacy behind for 19th-century women to break conventional chains. Oh, but it wasnt over yet. She went back in 1861 and stayed for goodgetting into a lot more trouble in the meantime. Oldoini showed an eerie attachment to her only son Giorgio, but it didnt stop at doting. Some say she kept the corpus for herself, while others claim she offered albums to others as a sign of her favor or to control her public image and reputation. Her adult life began when her beauty and noble blood allowed her to become the Countess da Castiglione through marriage to Francesco Verasis. Those partners may have their own information theyve collected about you. Toward the end of her life, following a hiatus of some twenty-five years, the Countess da Castiglione resumed her sessions with Pierson. This major solo exhibition includes over fifty rare portraits of the Countess from . Today. 2023 Getty Images. What actually happened was even more disastrous. Her photographs werent just about the clothes she was wearing but also about who was wearing them, putting Oldoini up with the likes of Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell. I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. The Countess Castiglione was a woman of multiple personalities -- Cleopatra crossed with Blanche Dubois. The countess was one of the first airbrushers. Emperor Napoleon didnt seem to mind that the countess came to his court as a married woman, and Castigliones mission went very well indeed. Nearly two years into their marriage, in 1855, she was sent to Paris along with her husband. Not surprising enough, the Countess took questionable pictures of herself, baring her legs and feet to the camera. Of all the relationships the Countess formed in Paris, the most significantand by far most enduringwas her relationship with the camera. She has bracelets on each wrist and hair partially pinned up, one ringlet trailing down her neck. Gee thanks Virginia, you really shouldnt have. All rights reserved. And that's how she continues to exist: as an image, a face, a set of poses meticulously choreographed and endlessly marveled over. Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? Italian Virginia Oldoini , countess of Castiglione , she was the spy of french emperor NapoleonIII, here photo by Pierre-Louis Pierson with gouache. They'd posthumously be described by critics as more morbid, more disturbed, more deranged than her earlier work. Her birth name- Virginia Elisabetta Luisa Carlotta Antonietta Teresa Maria Oldoni, was as long as the legacy she left behind. | Gown for the Comtesse di Castiglione, Ert (Romain de Tirtoff), 1861-1867, LACMA. in her 18th century get-up, swinging as Napoleon, Eugenie, and the court look on, in what is clearly a metaphor for Ok I will shag this guy for Italy.. Aaaaand Kendra starts shaking her head very, very sadly. A pioneering model and a bounty of Narcissism , she took self love to a completely different tangent. Hand-painted photographs were a luxurious novelty at the time, so naturally Oldoini made the best use of them she could. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. One of her most infamous outfits was a "Queen of Hearts" costume. The Countess of Castiglione was popular in the court of Emperor Napoleon III. Thanks for your help! Despite her prickly nature, the Countess had rabid fans long after she passed. The Countess of Castiglione had no love lost for Empress Eugenie, Napoleon's wife. Her parents were the Marquis of Filippo Oldoini and the Marquise of Isabella Lamporecchi, who belonged to the Tuscan nobility. She had been secretly entrusted with a significant mission: to persuade Emperor Napoleon III into agreeing on the unification of Italy. 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. Some scholars argue that the Countess of Castiglione wasnt just the first model of our timeshe was also the first supermodel too. 11 - 15 May 2022. La Dame de Coeurs, 1861-63. 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. 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