Scherzo di Follia (Madness Joke) by Pierre-Louis Pierson - ca. 1865 Metropolitan Museum of Art Scherzo di Follia (Madness Joke) by Pierre-Louis Pierson - ca. 1865 Metropolitan Museum of Art

Scherzo di Follia (Madness Joke)

Albumen silver prints from glass negative •
  • Pierre-Louis Pierson - 1922 - 1913 Pierre-Louis Pierson ca. 1865

It's March 1st so it's time to start #WomenHistoryMonth :)

A selfie, now there's a new word from a new age. They are currently all the rage. People contorting to portray themselves and share their image with the world. How decidedly un-original. Selfies in photography were first marketed by Virginia Elisabetta Luisa Antonietta Teresa Maria Oldoini, Countess of Castiglione (1837-1899). She was born in Florence, Italy. To a family of minor nobility, but with many opportunities. Known as Nicchia, she married at 17. It was a politically arranged marriage, with a man 17 years her senior. They had one son. Nicchia was promptly moved to France, where she was expected to wield her influence, trying to persuade Napoleon III to help with Italian unity—and persuade him she did. Within weeks she became his mistress, causing a scandal and separation from her husband.

During her affair she had her portrait taken by Pierre-Louis Pierson (1822-1913). It was at the height of the photographic boom that hit fashionable Paris. For her, it was the start of something much greater. They would go on to collaborate on more than 400 to 700 portraits (sources differ), spanning more than three decades of her life. She staged complete sets, poses, costumes and everything. She was the dominant figure in the process, Pierre-Louis was only allowed to press the shutter and the develop the prints. All parts of the process were bound by a contract. Virginia owned the process and even the finished photograph, which was highly uncommon. Usually the photographer is the owner of his own work. She had images of her legs and feet taken naked, causing yet another scandal. She aggravated the scandal when she posed as a corpse sitting on a couch. At which time it became apparent that she was ill. Her schizophrenic personality wrapped around her like the layers that became visible in her photographs. She kept on innovating herself as a person as well as her photographs, yet spiraling down because of her illness.

After 1879 she spent her years in a darkened room, blinds drawn, leaving only during the night. She was not able to leave the past behind and sat for many more resplendent portraits. Contorted from reality, her psychiatrist couldn't help her. Her hair became gray and thin, her teeth were gone. The seductive gaze replaced by a sadness. She died aged 62 and was buried at the Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris.

- Erik

If you would like to see more Oldoini's photographs - click here :)

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