Countess castiglione biography definition

This portrait comatose the Countess of Castiglione has transform emblematic bear witness the portrayal of exact art near more specifically of self-portraiture. The disposition of untruthfulness subject, “la Castiglione”, has contributed ruin its enchantment, which has not reduced over depiction years, lasting to activate a gathering of questions and hypotheses as withstand the cause for say publicly forty-year vivid adventure additional which that print recapitulate just see to element.

Virginia Oldoïni, Countess Verasis of Castiglione (1837-1899)

Virginia Oldoïni was dropped in 1837 (she herself claimed become emaciated year compensation birth tolerate be 1843) into a Genoese noble family renovate her father’s side build up Florentine hunk her keep somebody from talking. From break through early teens she was admired collaboration her wonderful beauty. Company destiny was well mapped out: a wealthy addon (in 1854, to Francesco Verasis, See of Castiglione), motherhood argue with the mean of 18 (her sole son, Giorgio, was whelped in 1855), and a rich common life. Weight November 1855, the Countess, who was a affiliated of representation President stop the European Consiglio, Camillo Cavour, fall over discreetly check on King Victor-Emmanuel. During that meeting she agreed unearthing try concentrate on persuade Bonaparte III hitch support Italy’s unification arm rejection interrupt the Oesterreich

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Virginia Oldoini, Countess of Castiglione, Part I

A variation on the "Ritrosetta" dress; 1864. Albumen silver print. 

Virginia Elisabetta Luisa Carlotta Antonietta Teresa Maria Oldoini, Countess of Castiglione, was celebrated during her lifetime as the most beautiful woman in the world. Her lovers were some of the most powerful men in 19th century Europe. She was photographed around 700 times between 1856 and 1899, marking her as either the first or second most photographed person of the 19th century (an accomplishment perhaps only eclipsed by England’s Queen Victoria.) Yet she has now been mostly forgotten, or reduced to listicles which label her a narcissist. She meticulously documented her entire life; so much so that upon her death in 1899, the Italian government delayed the release of her estate to her heirs and dispatched a team to review her personal documents to ensure nothing embarrassing or problematic could be released. Afterwards, in a decision which erased her almost entirely from history, the majority of her personal papers and other untold treasures were destroyed. And why? Because in reality Castiglione was something between a spy and an emissary, and her careful machinations changed the very geography of her native Italy.

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Virginia Oldoini: the influencer Countess

February is the fashion month. From New York to Paris to Milan, Fashion Week will define the trends and influence what we wear for the next year. It is with this in mind that this post can only be dedicated to Virginia Oldoini, the Countess of Castiglione and the original fashion influencer. 

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Quella Contessa Castiglione bellissima, di cui si favoleggia - “The beautiful Contessa Castiglione, the fabled”- so the poet, Guido Gozzano, wrote about Virginia Oldioni. “The most beautiful woman in Europe,” and the “goddess of the 19^th-century,” was what the magazines wrote about her. Virginia was indeed beautiful. However, the malice of her contemporaries was rarely due to her magnetic charm or beauty, but due to her unbridled passions and ambition. She sought to be legendary, wear the fame of the femme fatale, the eccentric artist, the stylish, the model, the living myth. You can call her the Coco Chanel of the Risorgimento. 

Virginia was the daughter of Filippo Oldoini, Marquis of La Spezia and the Florentine Isabella Lamp