Virginia Oldoini — Countess, mistress of the Emperor and the first model of the XIX century
By Pictolic https://pictolic.com/article/virginia-oldoini-countess-mistress-of-the-emperor-and-the-first-model-of-the-xix-century1.htmlVirginia Elisabeta Luisa Carlotta Antonietta Teresa Maria Oldoini was born into an aristocratic family in 1837 in Florence. Later she became known in Parisian society as the Countess Di Castiglione or just La Castiglione, the favorite of the last monarch of France, Napoleon III, the first beauty and favorite model of the court photographer Pierre-Louis Pierson.
At the age of 17 , the girl was married to the Italian Count Francesco di Castiglione, 12 years her senior, and in 1855 she gave birth to his son. During the Countess's journey through Paris, her cousin, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Sardinia, gave her the task of persuading Napoleon III not to hinder the unification of Italy. As a result, Virginia became the emperor's mistress, which her husband was not at all happy about and filed for divorce. The connection with the ruler of France opened the doors for the beauty to the society of members of the royal family.
The extraordinary beauty of the Italian woman attracted the court photographer Pierre-Louis Pierson, who made about 400 portraits of her.
Pierson liked to shoot the Countess in theatrical costumes, in different poses and separately her legs.
Portrait of the Countess by Michele Gordigiani
Moreover, the photographer only took pictures, it was Virginia who chose the pose, dress, scenery and angle.
So we can safely call the Countess the first model. She also did the final editing, sent photos to print and often painted on top of them.
The Countess starred in luxurious and elegant dresses that she wore at court.
Over time, she looked for inspiration for new outfits in the theater, ancient myths and literature. It is also known about several pictures of her bare legs, which are somewhat voyeuristic in nature.
With age, the countess withdrew from society and became an eccentric recluse, not wanting to see herself and show others what time had done to her. She lived in a mansion with curtained mirrors and black-covered walls, went outside only at night.
The Countess died in 1899 at the age of 62 from apoplexy, leaving behind a collection of photographs, several novels dedicated to her and one biography.
Keywords: XIX century | Paris | Portrait | Favorite | Photographer | Fashion model | France
Post News ArticleRecent articles
In most cases, women give birth lying down. Many are sure that this is the most optimal position for a woman in labor and a child. ...
There is something about cats that inevitably attracts us. Their touching charm, fluffiness, grace and clumsiness at the same time, ...
Related articles
In the 19th century, prostitution was legal in France. For the convenience of customers, each district of Paris published a booklet ...
This series of photos perfectly illustrates how alcohol turns a respectable person into a staggering wreck, spewing a bad smell, ...
In September 1839, the solemn laying of the new Cathedral of Christ the Saviour took place. The construction lasted almost 44 ...
When a baby appears in the family, all relatives and friends begin to argue, who is he more like-mom or dad? Everyone looks at the ...