If so, her final hours were gruesome: she was eaten by a swarm of giant coconut crabs. Virginia Oldoini, Countess of Castiglione (1837 - 1899), better known as La Castiglione, was an Italian aristocrat who was a special agent for the cause of Italian unification, the mistress of Napoleon III, and a mysterious recluse notorious for her numerous love affairs.She was born to a noble Florentine family and at 17 she married . The photograph, titled "Portrait in a Black Dress," is commonly assumed to be the first Pierson took of . After a lifetime of being camera ready, Oldoini passed on November 28, 1899. Surprising almost no one, Oldoini wasnt afraid to be very risqu in her photographsbut her most scandalous photos were also her most bizarre. Born Virginie Oldoini in 1837, this Italian worman coming from Tuscan nobility married Franois Verasis, Count of Castiglione, in 1854. The studio specialized in hand-painted photography, an explosively popular technique. In the summer of 2014, she published a book on 18th-century wig and hair styling. Which makes the countess infamous act of revenge all the more savage. "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. 6 La Divina Contessa. There was a problem subscribing you to this newsletter. Four months of attention-grabbing stunts were required for her to become Napoleons mistress. Posts about La Comtesse de Castiglione written by Embla. 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. From 1856 to 1895, she sat for hundreds of photo-shoots. Picture it: a woman sitting with her face in perfect profile, skin bright against the background. Like many other significant society figures, she made her way to the Mayer-Pierson photographic studio on Boulevard de Capucine, which was helmed by imperial court photographer and daguerreotypist Pierre-Louis Pierson. The photo projects continued occasionally. skeleton on the Pacific island of Nikumaroro. On March 22, 1837, the Countess was born into her very own gilded, velvet world. Virginia had successfully enticed the Emperor and became his mistress, much to the dissatisfaction of his wife, Empress Eugenie. But then the Countess took the feud to the next level. Keep in mind that anyone can view public collectionsthey may also appear in recommendations and other places. She not only entered the ballroom with the emperor on her arm, she also did it while wearing a Queen of Hearts costume. Her level of control over these projects cannot be. Unfortunately, the story does not end well for this selfie beauty queen. Uh, this didnt exactly go well for her. The young girl reportedly embarked on a steamy affair with a hunky naval officer right before tying the knot, which suggests the soon-to-be notorious courtesan desired things beyond domestic bliss from the very beginning. We've sent you an email to confirm your subscription. 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. 10.25.2016 by The Court Jeweller // Leave a Comment. Her website, Dmod Couture, is one of the most well-known online resources for historical costumers. 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. [2], In 18561857, she entered the social circle of European royalty. On an early trip to Paris, she and her husband met with Camillo, Count of Cavour. The Countess returned to Italy in 1857 when her affair with Napoleon III was over. See more ideas about countess, vintage photos, vintage photography. After teaming up with photographer Pierre-Louis Pierson, Oldoini amassed over 700 19th-century selfies. 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. I am of a different essence.". The future countess was born Virginia Oldoini in 1837 in Florence; her father was a diplomat in what was . It holds just the right amount of intrigue with its arrangement of material and mirrors, as well as its ambiguous message: Vanity? In fact, he specifically told the countess to succeed by whatever means you wishbut succeed. Growing up, it was clear to everyone who knew the girl that the young Oldoini was going to be a mega babe. So this review is basically going to focus on the visuals! She had been secretly entrusted with a significant mission: to persuade Emperor Napoleon III into agreeing on the unification of Italy. They made her out to be some sort of gigantic narcissist who only posed for photographs. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. She was the prophetess of self-portraits, anticipating Frida Kahlo, Cindy Sherman and . 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. Finally we catch back up to the countess in her OH MY GOD THAT HAIR IS SO FABULOUS period: Theres a bunch of scenes of her in 18th century fancy dress where shes clearly deciding whether she can stomach taking one for the team with Napoleon III: They go with a very Madame du Barry look., Which isnt spot on, but isnt totally unlike her 18th century-inspired fancy dress | Mathilde (Countess of Castiglione) by Pierre-Louis Pierson, 1860s,Metropolitan Museum of Art. [3] George Frederic Watts painted her portrait in 1857. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'globalmarvels_com-box-4','ezslot_1',104,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-globalmarvels_com-box-4-0');The Countess had a number of noble social relations. 4.68, 6.20 Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. Please. This scandalous move of hers took the forum by surprise. After the death of her son, Giorgio who succumbed to smallpox, in 1879, she felt disgraced and refused to leave her house. Although infidelity is certainly close to #1 on the list of marital sins, the Countess of Castiglione didnt stop there. Madame de Pompadour was the alluring chief mistress of King Louis XV, but few people know her dark historyor the chilling secret shared by her and Louis. I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. There was one, and just exactly one, bright spot in Virginias marriage to her fuddy-duddy count: Their son together, Giorgio. 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. The countess may have had a mystical hold over menbut her allure had one major flaw. 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.". 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. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery. [Profile with Chignon, Large] (Countess Virginia Oldoini Verasis di Castiglione [18351899]) by Pierre-Louis Pierson, 186163, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1855. If Oldoini counted you among her closest friends, you might get a ridiculous memento from her. The Countess was a rebel, she did not conform to the traditional roles of a woman and a wife, as it was expected of her and did what she pleased. View Etsys Privacy Policy. She was also a significant figure in the early history of photography . With the fruits of her husbands fortune and her natural beauty, the Countess of Castiglione affected grandiose and eye-catching entrances. Of all the relationships the Countess formed in Paris, the most significantand by far most enduringwas her relationship with the camera. Italian Virgiana Oldoini , countess of Castiglione , she was the spy of french emperor NapoleonIII, holding an oval picture frame up to her eye,. A few of her admirers were fixated upon her beauty and art. In an infamous event, the Countess, barely clad in a Queen of Hearts costume, made a statement in the court by entering the ballroom with the Emperor by her side, quite literally pretending to be the queen. A series of photos show leafless trees as massive sculptural . Her last years were eccentric, but as in most of her endeavors, her youthful beauty drove her decisions. She found her niche in Mayer-Pierson photographic studio on Boulevard de Capucine. The Divine Countess faced a not so divine death in 1899. Explore. 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. At the pinnacle of her self love journey, Virginia sent out her portraits to friends and acquaintances in the form of albums, duly autographed as a sign of her abounding favour towards them (which was obviously unasked for). Oldoini never did reconcile with her husbandand though this would get her into trouble later, she didnt much mind for the time being. La comtesse de Castiglione - Passy, 1861-1867. Plus, you know, there was the whole "other woman" thing. Costuming La Castiglione would be one time that the infamous I want to show my tits meme would be appropriate. Courtiers were delighted with her flamboyant entrances to parties, and her costumes were always impeccable. Buzz Buddy. She revealed miles of porcelain legs and decorated her exposed toes with golden rings. Countess of Castiglione Facts. Hand-painted photographs were a luxurious novelty at the time, so naturally Oldoini made the best use of them she could. Ignored by her father, she was educated by her grandfather Ranieri Lamporecchi. This major solo exhibition includes over fifty rare portraits of the Countess from . Nice finds, Kendra. La Comtesse de Castiglione, 1856-1857. Her room was painted black, windows sealed and mirrors removed from every nook and cranny. You might call her the Godmother of the staged Surrealist selfie. 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. The Countess of Castiglione had no love lost for Empress Eugenie, Napoleons wife. The count was 12 years older than the girl, and not much of a looker. 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. Quite expected from a Queen. Select from premium Virginia Oldoini, Countess Of Castiglione of the highest quality. ), Photographs, Pierre-Louis Pierson (French, 1822-1913, Classic works modernized by Artotop with a splash of modernity. Hand-tinted photographs were regarded as both a luxury and a novelty. Copyright 2007-2020 Frock Flicks, Trystan L. Bass, Kendra Van Cleave, & Sarah Lorraine Goodman. That wasp-waisted dress is the plaidest thing I have ever seen! Married in 1854 to Count Francesco Verasis di Castiglione, who was attached to the court of King Victor . Thanks! He left her in a corner without assigning her a place.". Visual content is copyrighted to its respective owners, and inclusion here is under fair use for criticism, comment, and news reporting purposes. His devotion led him to confide in his cousin. He asked Virginia to travel to Paris and convince Napoleon the III to be their aide in the unification of Italy. Italian Virgiana Oldoini , countess of Castiglione , she was the spy of french emperor NapoleonIII, holding an oval picture frame up to her eye,. By the 1890s, she had become round, bald, and . Set where you live, what language you speak, and the currency you use. In this fragment of a reflection, her gaze is steady, staring right down the camera lens. 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 photographs,commissioned by the countess and created under her supervision,were both self-advertisement and self-expression as . 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. 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