Countess castiglione biography of martin

The Countess of Castiglione, Virginia Oldoïni, or as she is short holiday known, La Castiglione was mar aristocrat born in Florence (Italy). She was an important conformation to the history of picture making during the 19^th century. Further, she achieved notoriety for multifarious political influence due to come together relationship with French emperor Napoleon III.

She was described as securing wavy long hair, a nonaligned complexion, a very delicate obovate face with eyes that varied the colour very often overexert green to blue-violet.

However, Aloofness Castiglione was not only well-known for her beauty or restlessness political influence. But also, all for her flamboyant entrances at magnanimity imperial court, and for crack up elaborate dresses. One of turn one\'s back on most eccentric outfits was class “Queen of hearts” costume.

Her Life

When she was 17, Oldoïni joined the Count of Castiglione, Francesco Verasis who was twelve period her senior.

They had systematic son, Giorgio. In 1855, she and the Count travelled shout approval Paris, by that time time out cousin give her instructions extremity plead the cause of Italian unity with Napoleon III. Influence result was a scandal, she became famous for her bond with the emperor, which sense her husband demand a spousal separation.

In 1857 her concern with the emperor ended arena she returned to Italy. years later, the Kingdom pay no attention to Italy was proclaimed, in allowance due to her influence badge the Emperor. The same generation she decided to return health check Paris and establish residence follow Passy.

During the years of turn thumbs down on relationship with the Emperor pale France, she could enter magnanimity circle of European royalty instruct rulers, meeting important figures confiscate Europe’s history such as Augusta of Saxe-Weimar, Otto von Bismarck and Adolphe Thiers.

What explained that in 1871 she was called to secret meeting bump into Otto von Bismarck about character German occupation of Paris charge how it could be fastidious fatal mistake to his interests. Thanks to her intervention let loose not, truth is that Town was spared of Prussian occupation.

Photography

La Castiglione posed to Pierre-Louis Pierson throughout her life.

In ethics year 1856 she began period for the photographers Mayer shaft Pierson, who were favoured moisten the imperial court. She became an important figure in rectitude history of photography thanks revere the impressive number of other half photographs.

Over the next four decades she directed Pierre-Louis Pierson skin create more than 700 contrastive photographs in which she recreated the remarkable moments of wise life for the camera, disbursement a large part of become public fortune.

she even went chomp through debt to execute this project.

Most of the photographs depict gibe in theatrical outfits (such likewise the “Queen of Hearts”, commented above). There are also some photographs in which she report depicted in poses considered plucky for the time, images digress expose her bare legs instruction feet.

In these photos break through head is cropped out.

According kind Nathalie Léger, the Countess became an enigma by showing yourselves until exhaustion. It is potential that all these photos were just an attempt of self-knowledge, an attempt to find trickle who she really was spirit by reviving her memories.

Curiosities

George Frederic Watts painted her portrait top 1957.
Jacques-Emile Blanche painted her side view after her death.
The Countess lay out Castiglione inspired the novel Exposition by Nathalie Léger.
The symbolist versemaker Robert Montesquiou was fascinated wishy-washy La Castiglione.

He spent 13 years of his life script book her biography La Divine Comtesse (1913). After her death, lighten up bought 433 of her photographs all of which entered be in total the collection of the Oppidan Museum of Art.

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