Some 90 works from a remarkable series of photographic portraits documenting the public life and private fantasies of a legendary 19th-century beauty go on view at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on September 19, 2000, in the exhibition "La Divine Comtesse," Photographs of the Countess de Castiglione. There was one, and just exactly one, bright spot in Virginias marriage to her fuddy-duddy count: Their son together, Giorgio. Countess of Castiglione. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpDoq0k649w. Listen, girls know how to get things done. Imperial Court. With the fruits of her husbands fortune and her natural beauty, the Countess of Castiglione affected grandiose and eye-catching entrances. This scandalous move of hers took the forum by surprise. . Yeah, theres a reason why it became infamous. Wouldnt you know, she got custody of Giorgio for the rest of his life. Thanks for your help! As well see later, though, Francesco wasnt even done yet. 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. Virginia had successfully enticed the Emperor and became his mistress, much to the dissatisfaction of his wife, Empress Eugenie. ), Yes, its found it. Before you go accusing Oldoini of being a good-for-nothing influencer, consider this: She was deeply involved in the production of her selfie photos, essentially acting as her own art director. 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. She revealed miles of porcelain legs and decorated her exposed toes with golden rings. She often hand painted over her photographs and directed her shots, to put forward her best angle, much like a supermodel. She was also a significant figure in the early history of photography. If Oldoini counted you among her closest friends, you might get a ridiculous memento from her. In other words: Bed that boy, and fast. Camillo encouraged seduction in no uncertain terms when he told her to succeed using any means necessary. Soon enough, it all came crashing down. Her level of control over these projects cannot be. But for all this praise, not everyone was as enamored. Well, today we're going to talk about the woman considered the queen of selfies and a true pioneer of photography in general. Oldoini showed an eerie attachment to her only son Giorgio, but it didnt stop at doting. He left for Italy, leaving his Countess engaging in her newly found hobby in France. Nearly two years into their marriage, in 1855, she was sent to Paris along with her husband. She achieved notoriety by becoming Napoleon III's mistress, a scandal that led her husband to demand marital separation. According to contemporaries she had a fabulous figure and wasnt shy about showing it off. Theres just NOTHING 19th century about this look, and 2. Once there, she looked the courtesan up and down before sniffing, The heart is a little low, madam. Etsy is powered by 100% renewable electricity. Send me exclusive offers, unique gift ideas, and personalized tips for shopping and selling on Etsy. But it turns out that Oldoini really shone when her back was up against the wall. Gee thanks Virginia, you really shouldnt have. (20% off), Sale Price 4.68 Virginia gladly accepted the offer, with the condition of using any means necessary to lure the King. After teaming up with photographer Pierre-Louis Pierson, Oldoini amassed over 700 19th-century selfies. While at Napoleons court, the Countess of Castiglione became famous for more than just her sheet smarts; she was also a fashion plate. The Countess of Castiglione was Italian; she was married off at age 17 to the count, who was 12 years older. Here is the version with Yvonne De Carlo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpDoq0k649w. The Countess of Castiglione had no love lost for Empress Eugenie, Napoleons wife. Select from premium Virginia Oldoini, Countess Of Castiglione of the highest quality. . She replied in kind, No, Sire. La Contessa descended into madness, stemming from her undying self-obsession and Narcissism. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. Making distraction rewarding since 2017. Okay this dressing gown just screams 1940s. Find Countess Of Castiglione stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Your suggestions can be as general or specific as you like, from Life to Compact Cars and Trucks to A Subspecies of Capybara Called Hydrochoerus Isthmius. Well get our writers on it because we want to create articles on the topics youre interested in. Captcha failed to load. She goes home and has some strained conversations with a man who I presume to be her husband. 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 . La Comtesse de Castiglione (The eyes) by Pierre-Louis Pierson, 1863-1866 via ArtNet. She was born in 1837 to an aristocratic family in La . When she did leave, she would wear dark veils and only go out at night so she could cover all evidence of her shameful age. Please submit feedback to [email protected]. 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. Most famously, Robert de Montesquieu collected hundreds of her photographs and wrote a biography of her that he titled La Divine Comtesse. 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. Price on request. She also insisted on photographing him constantly, pulling him into many of her projects and often making him serve as her stand-in when she set up shots. . Lets just say that the convincing Camillo had in mind wasnt the kind that involves long debates and dusty books, oh heck no. | Gown for the Comtesse di Castiglione, Ert (Romain de Tirtoff), 1861-1867, LACMA. Oldoini did not cope well with aging, and her insecurities soon took on deranged proportions. I dont know Spanish more than some numbers and a handful of words to order deli items. While many photos elevated her, her wardrobe, and the inventiveness of her spirit, other photosespecially those taken in her later yearswere unsettling or macabre. Italian Virgiana Oldoini , countess of Castiglione , she was the spy of french emperor NapoleonIII, holding an oval picture frame up to her eye,. The Countess of Castiglione began life as Virginia Oldoini, a celebrated beauty and a member of the minor nobility in Florence, Tuscany. 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. Browse 131,614 countess of chichester stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. The Metropolitan Museum of New York City held a Castiglione exhibition, including this picture, and posted it on the Internet with this paragraph as part of the notes: "At the costume ball held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on February 17, 1857, the Countess di Castiglione caused a sensation by . Her narcissism in regard to her own photographic image was a precursor to the self-portraits we've seen throughout the 20th century. Italian Virgiana Oldoini , countess of Castiglione , she was the spy of french emperor NapoleonIII, holding an oval picture frame up to her eye,. She lost her charm and beauty and took ghastly and unnatural pictures of herself, posing in a coffin with her dead dog. 6 La Divina Contessa. The count was 12 years older than the girl, and not much of a looker. The Countess sure was bold. Ive had a thing for the real-life Virginia Oldoini, The Countess of Castiglione (1837-1899) for a loooong time now. One of her most infamous outfits was a "Queen of Hearts" costume. The Countess is also depicted in Alexander Chee's novel The Queen of the Night. They had a son, Giorgio. Read more: Marie Antoinette Syndrome: Overnight Highlights! Whenever she wasnt perfectly satisfied with a photograph, shed use hand-painting to soften her unflattering angles and put herself in the best light. I knew that she was going to take it badly, but I had no idea about the insane lengths she would go to just to get revenge and mess with my life. Virginia Oldoini Verasis, countess di Castiglione, (born March 22, 1835, Florence, duchy of Tuscany [Italy]died Nov. 28, 1899, Paris, France), Tuscan noblewoman who occupied a predominant position in the courts of both Turin and Paris and influenced Franco-Italian political relations. 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. The Countess de Castiglione was a rare creature indeed: a full-blown 19th-century narcissist with unlimited access to a camera. 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. La Castiglione lived and died for beauty, but her inner beauty wasnt up to the standards implied by her physical assets. Some of the images are sumptuous and witty. It's oval-shaped, holding a partial reflection of her faceeyes, nose, the top of her lips. See, Camillo was in the middle of trying to convince the French Emperor Napoleon III to help unify Italy, and he knew his cousin Virginia had a, uh, hypnotizing power over men. 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. Suddenly, her regime of funereal black rooms, veils, and never leaving the house makes tragic sense. Performance. The countess may have had a mystical hold over menbut her allure had one major flaw. Soldier Boy Confronts Crimson Countess The Boys Clip Prime Video. Log in. Just a year after their marriage, in 1855, the Count and Countess travelled to Paris, to the court of Napoleon the III of France. Countess of Castiglione Facts. She inspired the novel Exposition by Nathalie Lger. 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. Plus, you know, there was the whole other woman thing. . After sitting for her first portrait, the Countess returned again and again, working intensively with Pierson from 1856 to 1867, and then again towards the end of her life in the 1890s. 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. ), Photographs, Pierre-Louis Pierson (French, 1822-1913, Classic works modernized by Artotop with a splash of modernity. With her notorious ways, she succeeded in enticing king Napoleon III to help unify Italy, which was achieved in 1861. Of all the relationships the Countess formed in Paris, the most significantand by far most enduringwas her relationship with the camera. 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. It might seem ordinary for us today, however it was a grave act of shame for women in the 19th century. Lets just say that the convincing camillo had in mind wasnt the kind that involves long debates and dusty,. Be her husband to demand marital separation achieved in 1861 1863-1866 via ArtNet, Classic works modernized by Artotop a. 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