One of the most important reasons why Empress Eugénie stopped sleeping with her husband Napoléon III is the fact that the delivery of their only son was so painful and difficult that forceps had to be used. After the delivery, the pain was such that she had to stay immobile in bed during two months, and her doctors told her that she should not have another child.
Perhaps witholding pain relief during childbirth might stop these unmarried women who breed like rabbits and then buy their lettuce with taxpayers' money.
He's on the Meidas Touch Network here on youtube, I think he does one MTN podcast per week. His name is Francis Maxwell, from Scotland now living in the US. He's narrated a few of these factinate videos :)
They wore something UNDER the corset at this time though. Lacking a corset would, at most, make some whisper about loose morals. Removing a corset while in a very thin dress doesn't make her body anymore visible. On top of that, corsets redistributed the weight of large skirts and potential, heavy trains that would otherwise dig into the waist. If you'd said she wasn't wearing anything, not even a chemise, under the dress, that would have been different. Sincerely, a person who knows costume history
Camillo Benso count of Cavour was not "A MINISTER OF THE KING OF SARDINIA". He was THE prime minister of the KING OF SAVOY (and Sardinia) who soon became KING OF ITALY.
I like your comment…. Of course there was no one in the prior history of the world that had an ego or thought they were the most attractive person ever 🤣@@g.ecoleman5910
Except that Virginia wasn't "falsified" like a kardashian-whatever Virginia had was genuine and natural beauty. More than can be said of the "clones" mistakingly called beauties today. False boobs ✔️ straightened hair ✔️ Slug lips✔️
Trouble with Narcissist behaviour is that that they are so self obsessed that they are selfish, opinionated and insufferable. They really do think that the world revovles around them and for them. She would of been so difficult to live with- very! Im not keen on her. Prefer Empress Eugenie, any day!!
You have no idea who either of them are inside! You've been given the most basic sketch of their personalities, which we don't even know is accurate. People are so quick to judge.
Gifting a picture used to be a regular part of life in my youth. Every year we got yearbooks and school pictures that we gave to each other. Even leaving notes in each other’s yearbooks. One of my favorite Obama memories was when he gave her a device full of pictures from all over… and she gave him an autographed picture of herself. To me it felt like the Queen flexed on him, but it was also a common gift she would give. Seeing just how many US Presidents came and went during her reign is amazing. And that’s just one country! Could you imagine the cost of a framed, autographed picture to every leader, of every country that she met with during her reign?…
It was quite normal for a beautiful unattached young lady to be a kept mistress of several men at the time in the era of La Seconde Empire. The top three ladies were called Les Grandes Horizontales. What set Castglione apart is that she was of noble birth itself.
And nevermind the higher up Male adults who Sent her ,as a Teen, into such notoriety by and to Very Adult males. What other choices did she have??!! She was born, raised, and trained for nothing else.
@@rebeccalee1065 Literally? 🤔 She didn't *murder* him. You meant 'figuratively', surely? Also, don't forget that she was only 17, when her parents *forced* her to marry a much older man she wasn't even interested in or attracted to. Don't hate the player, hate the game! But I do feel that her narcissistic, femme-hating behaviour was pretty awful.
She must have possessed incredible charisma as well as beauty, for there have been many beautiful men and women throughout history who did not have people falling all over themselves to be with them. As for the photographs, I don't think I could stand to look at forty photos of anyone, no matter how lovely they are, much less two hundred or four hundred. The Countess was definitely a narcissist, but she wasn't a mental lightweight either. Thanks for showcasing her.
You missed the part where people said after a few minutes of her company they found her boring. Perhaps as a narcissist she might have talked only about herself. And these were men who said this as apparently, also in the video, she never bothered to talk to other women.
She had was surrounded by rumours and intrigue and no doubt made sure that "mystique" made it's rounds to have men clamour around her. Once in her presence, then the actual boredom of talking to her became apparent. History tells, as mentioned in the video, that her father ignored her and even today we see this same attention seeking behaviour in women whose fathers ignored them.
she was and she passed it down to, my mother is a narcissist just like her. and i got her eyes and look a lot like her. i have a photo of her and her other kids
My great aunt Ione was born in ‘94. She grew into an independent strong woman with m flamboyant style and made quite a scene in 1920 New York society. There are many parallel's between Ione and the Countess.
The opinion on beauty has changed throughout history as well as across different cultures around the world. Today, the ubiquity of the Internet has meant that the view of what is considered beautiful has become homogenised.
Let’s not forget that ‘decent’ or ‘proper’ ladies of the time did not wear make up, that was mostly reserved for prostitutes. The countess would have looked very different had she had access to the props that we enjoy today.
@@annemurphy9339 yes, and I doubt seriously "homogenized"; just viewed a horse show in Peru and all th ewomen with the Columbian BUTT Lift. the you have BLACK get jiggy with it bodies, then you have.......
Did you watch the whole video? She may have achieved what the guy who pimped her out wanted her to, but it didn't work out so well for her in the end. No one is born to a life like hers - or they shouldn't be, anyways.
Remembered that in that time have clear skin without smallpox scars and all the teeth without cavities you were considered attractive because was a sign of health , she had beautiful eyes and a voloptous body so yess she is a solid 10 by the time avarage to nowadays...
I am thinking that the camera and photographic technique she was using required several seconds to several minutes exposure. This would result in the somber poses like many other mid-19th century photographic portraits.
Standards of beauty change over the years and photographs rarely do justice to extremely beautiful people so it’s not possible to know for sure how beautiful she actually was
@@HoneyLee-r3q l honestly don’t believe you can tell from a photograph what people look like. Because of modern technology many people look stunning in a photograph but not so good in real life. Back in those days they didn’t have the flicks and tricks that made people look fabulous in photos. Many people who were beautiful in real life just didn’t photograph as well as they looked.
@@kumaranvij well it was relevant in this particular case because her beauty was used for political reasons and because she would not have left behind a series of historically interesting photos if she had not been a renowned beauty but generally speaking you are right. Women should not of interest just for their looks but beauty is like wealth and intelligence, it can help sometimes. Her looks made this lady who she was but it didn’t do her any good later on
She was a very interesting figure in history and a Narscissts. Her clothes looked exquisite. Like made for a queen! She would have LOVED Social Media! And even in old age sbe would have been posting photos of her yoinger self on dating sites. Very nicely put together and excellent Narration!
It's not like she had a choice. She was born into nobility-raised and trained to it. Married to it as a Teen. Then sent on a mission for it Still as a Teen.
People need to keep in mind during this era one needed to basically freeze their posture for the camera. Otherwise the picture would be blurry. Thus, we never see anyone smiling in these photos.
Cameras were very slow so you had to freeze your eye movement & no blinking! No sneezing, yawning or sighing. You could fart if you could keep perfectly still & not jerk.
She’s a warning for anyone placing too much of their identity into their appearance. A warning that’s never been more apposite than ever in these days of online influencers and beauty queens
That warning must have been spoken a billion times and almost as often ignored. 🙅♀ Just look at the vanity s**tshow that is the modern super rich/movie star/influencer/pop star-sphere. These people are almost all ridiculous.
People always appear rather stoic in the old visual media. The pose had to be held for an extended amount of time, maintaining a neutral facial expression was much easier.
It's interesting that they say that it was her eyes that captivated men. There's not a single photo there where her eyes don't appear to be..idk.. soulless, to me.
To be fair that's kind of an effect of how photography was at the time. Photos required quite a long exposure and it's really hard to maintain any kind of particularly lively expression while being utterly still for twenty or thirty seconds. That's why most people in old photos aren't smiling, a neutral expression can be maintained without twitching or moving much easier than a smile.
I guess that's technically true... but she did direct each photo to exacting details. I find her artistic mind quite remarkable, even if it was an extension of her extreme narcissim, lol!
Fab and fascinating video - what a character she was.... Perhaps if she knew we would be looking at her photos and talking about her, she would consider that she had been successful in her life's work. I love the insight into those who met her and she got on their nerves.
How do you know she would consider that she had been successful in her life's work? It seems to me there is so much judgmental and negative criticism of her here, she probably wouldn't like it very much at all. But then, we don't really know what she would think.
If you look at the life of Gertrude Bell you can see some similarities. What freedom is possible for a young and beautiful girl of noble birth? Even in the 1950's women were still considered property of their fathers or husbands, especially in heavily religious countries. Women did not have the freedom to make choices on how to live life outside of marriage and motherhood. This is still true in many Muslim countries today.
In the photo ... she "was also holding a knife in her hand half hidden in the folds of her dress. She titled the photo Lavan just to make her message extra clear and wouldn't you know she got custody of Georgio for the rest of his life"
Her eyes look evil. I was hoping to compare to photos of her as a child, but none were shown, so I don't know if they always looked this way, or if something happened to change them.
Maybe if they gave her more names, she'd have been richer. Call her what by what name you want, she'd probably like to have been paid under every name possible.🙂
As a mother myself I feel sorry for ANY mother who loses a child, especially her only child, no matter who she may be. Rest In Peace Georgio.🌹😔🌹 🐾🌈☮️🇨🇦
How would we know that Giorgio was her husband's child? If her job was to sleep her way to the top, could he not be fathered by Napoleon or anyone else's kid?
Aristocrats did not smile in photos. It was all about the profile, the arms and shoulders. You will note her breasts are on show but a glimpse of her feet was shocking. Different times. She was beautiful in the way all pretty, well born teenagers are beautiful. But as one ages character shows in the face.
Is it not true that the vast majority of people, (not just aristocrats), wore serious faces for photos, one of the reasons being that it took awhile to sit for the photo and it was hard to maintain a proper smile for so long? We have quite a few photos of various family members from the same timeframe, none of whom are aristocrats and none of whom are smiling, and it is the same with photos of virtually everyone else that I have seen from that era, too.
@@channelchenwhy was not smiling a thing? It was! The picture takes a long time and they couldn’t hold the smile for that long 😂 You might want to do more then just look at the 19th century pictures and actually Study them.
@@Nellis202 yall just say any old thing ..wasn't she considered vulgar at her time? She was literally an old timey kim kardashian thottie.I said what I said, there were many Victorian beauties, she wasn't one of them🤷♀️
I find her to be very beautiful in a classical, Greco-Roman way. She knew how to use what she had to get ahead, and though things didn't work well for her in the end, she had a truly fascinating life. I loved the photos. Very expressive and innovative for her time. I was so sorry to hear about her little Georgie. No one deserves to bury their babies. Very informative. Thanks!
Yeah, she probably picked that up from Old Nappy. History says that, ummm, gesture started in the Napoleonic Wars. Supposedly, bowmen (archers) needed their middle finger to draw their bowstrings raut to fire an arrow, so their enemies would chop off that digit. To show their disdain to opposing forces, they showed them that their middle fingers were intact! Who'd have thought?!
Single finger is much much older than that (I had a quick Google). As in ancient. It refers to the male genitalia apparently. The 2 finger salute is slightly newer (still much older than napoleon). And it is linked potentially to the bow string thing (think about it, it 'is' more typical to use both fingers). That has also been questioned due to a Shakespeare quote that has the potential removal of fingers referring to the first 3 fingers, but I would argue that 'that’s might not be typical so it probably does come from around this period. Apparently Tho this may have been the victory sign rather than the ruder version which came into more consistent use at the start of the 1900s. When cocking a snook was more common. TLDR. It’s pretty old school (Ancient Greek/Roman) for either 'you are the male genitalia' or 'go and copulate with oneself'.
I had forgotten it meant that. I remember when I was young, many moons ago, older people saying 'knock me up in the morning'. Thanks for the reminder 😊
Knocked up in UK, was the term having someone paid to tap at your bedroom window, with a long stick with a knob on the end. (Usually bedroom windows were above the public rooms floor). So they would wake you, to be ready for work or appointments. So you would pay to be knocked up. This was in the days when there were few clocks on public buildings, only the wealthy had watches, no radio, of course. So people earned a living walking the streets knocking at windows at required times. There were also families that earned a living, having bought a watch, setting it every morning to the correct time, and you would pay them to tell you the time, when you saw them in the street..
@@georgielancaster1356 That may have been the case in some areas. However, given that the houses were also owned by the mill and pit owners where the residents worked, it was the owners who paid for the knocker-upper.
Fascinating for sure but equally sad. With all her beauty and the benefits her money n connections bestowed her, her significant contributions have long been forgotten n have withered away. Not exactly “ picture perfect”.
Thank you. I can't see anything "incredible" or "fascinating" about her, just a horrifically vain woman with main character syndrome, who wasted her incredible life opportunities on wanting to be wanted by dudes. Kinda pathetic really.
She was told her looks were the most important thing about her since she was a kid. I wouldn't judge her too harshly. Things were very different for women back then.
@@TheIslandDivision You want to know how being a woman in mid-19th century Italy/France is different from being a woman now? Where do I begin? Normally, you can choose whom you marry, and you don't need to marry as a teenager. You receive at least a decent education. You can choose a career. You can use birth control if you wish, and it is less likely you will die in childbirth - a very real threat for women back then. You can vote in your own elections - so it is acknowledged that you should have a say in your country's destiny. That's just the tip of the iceberg.
That statement about the Countess' eyes changing color often sounds true to me. My eyes are "hazel", but I'm told sometimes they look green and "flash" when I'm angry.
@@ticketyboo2456, what’s remotely narcissistic about that statement?! They are describing how their eyes appear to change colour, according to what people have told them. They also take on a different appearance when they’re angry. How, exactly are you reading narcissism into that? Lots of people have eyes that appear to change colour - I know several - and the commentator is simply saying that
I agree with the notion that actors should hold the studio to a certain standard when portraying well known characters, but that is hard to do once you'vd signed a deal to do x amount of projects.
In the last picture, she is looking at the onlooker through an opend picture frame of wood, not a camera. But otherwise, a great and very interesting docu. Thank you 😊❤
as an italian, from florence no less, I had never heard about her! Only about her cousin Camillo Benzo, who is mentioned in history classes due to his importance in Italian unification. Thank you for this video, taught me so much!
She was quite beautiful and I’m not sure why so many negative comments. I suppose when you are used to the botoxed, face lifted, boob and butt enhanced women of today you can’t tell real beauty from the fake.
I’m sorry but she is very plain looking; sortof reminds me of my sister. What part of the world do you live in where you haven’t seen objectively prettier women in your everyday life?
Although I do NOT find her good looking, I am repulsed by what famous women do to their bodies. They are pretty, then make themselves look like monsters. Gross.
What an interesting Character! And how marvellous to have all those pictures of her when many people of that time barely had one photo of themselves.. It’s too bad we didn’t have the same amount of history on everyone. Just think of how many amazing people we’ll never know about? What a shame!
No beauty in todays standards. You need the technique of bringing her alive. She must have been the whole package and very interesting to powerful men.
Hi. Please place a note of the music you are using in the background. I've been trying to trace one of the pieces for a long time now and thought I'd finally found it.
Even back then enough money could make people believe something is more beautiful than reality. So many cases of what was considered "beautiful" was only good PR and expensive clothing and beauticians, much like today.
It’s amazing how quickly one’s youthful appearance fades. A very interesting figure especially for her time before cameras in the 20th century became more common place.
All of the negative comments that say she was not a very pretty woman must be blind. While not a raving beauty she certainly was easy on the eyes. I suppose those who can not see that are so used to the plasticized women of today that they do not know the phony from the real.
I dislike plasticised women. She may have been the ultimate one of her time, for all we know. Or at least, the nearest thing. She even 'photoshopped' herself. But I do find her mouth shape particularly unappealing and even a bit malevolent
I have been small time obsessed with Virginia, Countess of Castiglione for years. I visited Paris four times and each time went to her grave at Pere Lachchaise cemetery and laid flowers. I believe I’ve seen every published picture of her to date however there seem to be no photos of her as a young girl or child… even her son Joe Giorgio was photographed from the time he was born. I would love to see photos of Virginia as a child. She was one of a kind and eccentric, narcissistic, but her photographs let her live on and continue to astonish us, not only with her beauty, but her staging ability. 🌹🌹🌹
The fact that people did not smile, with teeth, in photographs, is maybe why the modern observer says this particular beauty seems cold. Remember, tooth care was not what it is now. No tooth whitening, no orthodontics, mouths were a mess.
Photos weren't instant, took a long time for one to be taken and it was easier to have a neutral facial expression, especially if many were to be taken.
She was born 150 years too early. Today she could have been an influencer or model, or a professional photographer, developing her sense of style and talent for posing and arranging photo sessions. Didn't it ever occur to her to get her own camera and take pictures herself? It would have been interesting to see her photos.
Do you think the Countess Of Castiglione was as beautiful as she was made out to be? Let us know in the comments below 👇!
I think so yes
maybe back then...
No.
Well, I’d like to know what films you chose to “illustrate” this video.
Yes she was
One of the most important reasons why Empress Eugénie stopped sleeping with her husband Napoléon III is the fact that the delivery of their only son was so painful and difficult that forceps had to be used. After the delivery, the pain was such that she had to stay immobile in bed during two months, and her doctors told her that she should not have another child.
I don't blame her one bit.
Perhaps witholding pain relief during childbirth might stop these unmarried women who breed like rabbits and then buy their lettuce with taxpayers' money.
Disco fanny.
@@nigelsmith2457 Snail brain
Forceps are regularly used to help women birth their child. It wasn't the forceps but the doctor using them obviously fucked up.
This is probably the best narrator I have ever heard, excellent story!!
He's on the Meidas Touch Network here on youtube, I think he does one MTN podcast per week. His name is Francis Maxwell, from Scotland now living in the US. He's narrated a few of these factinate videos :)
You managed to make a biography of an obscure countess fascinating, bravo! Very well told.
They wore something UNDER the corset at this time though. Lacking a corset would, at most, make some whisper about loose morals. Removing a corset while in a very thin dress doesn't make her body anymore visible. On top of that, corsets redistributed the weight of large skirts and potential, heavy trains that would otherwise dig into the waist. If you'd said she wasn't wearing anything, not even a chemise, under the dress, that would have been different. Sincerely, a person who knows costume history
True, the scandal would have been her silhouette. It's a clever trick, every male eye would have been on her. 😄
Amazing how beauty standards change. She was not beautiful at all by today's standards.
Right you are.
@@ariadneschild8460 Well - every _hetero_ male eye, anyway! 😉
@@dollcefina gay men would have looked too just bc the silhouette was unusual imo.
Camillo Benso count of Cavour was not "A MINISTER OF THE KING OF SARDINIA".
He was THE prime minister of the KING OF SAVOY (and Sardinia) who soon became KING OF ITALY.
What a fascinating character. Why am I just now learning about her!? Thank you for such well-researched videos.
So much for Janice Dickinson claiming she was the first super model .
I always wondered why she said that when there was Twiggy.
Suzy Parker was the first super model.
The first super ego was more like it!
I like your comment…. Of course there was no one in the prior history of the world that had an ego or thought they were the most attractive person ever 🤣@@g.ecoleman5910
@@Sunweaver593 Actually it was her sister Dorian...
She was so ahead of her time. She would have fit right in the top social media influencers of today.
Besides the knife, I think she may be giving him the "evil eye", or "curse" hand gesture.
So she was not only the first super model, she was a Kardashian a century before they were even a mere idea.
Except that Virginia wasn't "falsified" like a kardashian-whatever Virginia had was genuine and natural beauty. More than can be said of the "clones" mistakingly called beauties today. False boobs ✔️ straightened hair ✔️
Slug lips✔️
Trouble with Narcissist behaviour is that that they are so self obsessed that they are selfish, opinionated and insufferable.
They really do think that the world revovles around them and for them.
She would of been so difficult to live with- very!
Im not keen on her.
Prefer Empress Eugenie, any day!!
You have no idea who either of them are inside! You've been given the most basic sketch of their personalities, which we don't even know is accurate. People are so quick to judge.
Yes..... And?
Gifting a picture used to be a regular part of life in my youth. Every year we got yearbooks and school pictures that we gave to each other. Even leaving notes in each other’s yearbooks.
One of my favorite Obama memories was when he gave her a device full of pictures from all over… and she gave him an autographed picture of herself. To me it felt like the Queen flexed on him, but it was also a common gift she would give. Seeing just how many US Presidents came and went during her reign is amazing. And that’s just one country! Could you imagine the cost of a framed, autographed picture to every leader, of every country that she met with during her reign?…
Obama the Worst US President ever? Did what??
It was quite normal for a beautiful unattached young lady to be a kept mistress of several men at the time in the era of La Seconde Empire. The top three ladies were called Les Grandes Horizontales. What set Castglione apart is that she was of noble birth itself.
What also set her a part was that she was married.
She’s a true artist.
Which is why syfilis laid waste to so much of the nobility.
And.....married.
She did not have syphilis. Did you even watch the video?
Thanks! These videos are fabulous! Thank you for giving another glimpse into history that's vivid and illuminating.
Wow! Thank you so much for your support 🥹
This was fascinating. Never heard of her before. Thank you!!
6:32 - "Sheet smarts"! I love it! 😀
And nevermind the higher up Male adults who Sent her ,as a Teen, into such notoriety by and to Very Adult males. What other choices did she have??!! She was born, raised, and trained for nothing else.
@@samanthaspringman5527 She Was No Victim! She Literally Ran Over Her Husband. Spare Me The PATHETIC Excuse For Her Behavior.
@@rebeccalee1065Are you always so angry about people who have been dead over a century? What a ridiculous over reaction.
@@samanthaspringman5527The woman is ALWAYS the victim in people like yours eyes. Grow up.
@@rebeccalee1065 Literally? 🤔 She didn't *murder* him. You meant 'figuratively', surely? Also, don't forget that she was only 17, when her parents *forced* her to marry a much older man she wasn't even interested in or attracted to. Don't hate the player, hate the game! But I do feel that her narcissistic, femme-hating behaviour was pretty awful.
She must have possessed incredible charisma as well as beauty, for there have been many beautiful men and women throughout history who did not have people falling all over themselves to be with them. As for the photographs, I don't think I could stand to look at forty photos of anyone, no matter how lovely they are, much less two hundred or four hundred. The Countess was definitely a narcissist, but she wasn't a mental lightweight either. Thanks for showcasing her.
You missed the part where people said after a few minutes of her company they found her boring. Perhaps as a narcissist she might have talked only about herself. And these were men who said this as apparently, also in the video, she never bothered to talk to other women.
She had was surrounded by rumours and intrigue and no doubt made sure that "mystique" made it's rounds to have men clamour around her. Once in her presence, then the actual boredom of talking to her became apparent. History tells, as mentioned in the video, that her father ignored her and even today we see this same attention seeking behaviour in women whose fathers ignored them.
she was and she passed it down to, my mother is a narcissist just like her. and i got her eyes and look a lot like her. i have a photo of her and her other kids
@@OSR-go5cg Sorry but to whom were you referring to who passed it down?
Also no mention of other Kids ! Are you or how are you a related she didn’t have brothers or sister poss only cousins !
My great aunt Ione was born in ‘94. She grew into an independent strong woman with m flamboyant style and made quite a scene in 1920 New York society. There are many parallel's between Ione and the Countess.
I thought you had meant 1994 😂
The opinion on beauty has changed throughout history as well as across different cultures around the world. Today, the ubiquity of the Internet has meant that the view of what is considered beautiful has become homogenised.
Plasticized, actually.
All the actresses all look the same today. Too much surgery, botox, fillers, etc. They look freaky, not lovely.
Let’s not forget that ‘decent’ or ‘proper’ ladies of the time did not wear make up, that was mostly reserved for prostitutes. The countess would have looked very different had she had access to the props that we enjoy today.
@@annemurphy9339 yes, and I doubt seriously "homogenized"; just viewed a horse show in Peru and all th ewomen with the Columbian BUTT Lift. the you have BLACK get jiggy with it bodies, then you have.......
VANITY At Its Worst!
I didn’t know about this interesting historical figure. She played the game she was born to rather brilliantly.
Did you watch the whole video? She may have achieved what the guy who pimped her out wanted her to, but it didn't work out so well for her in the end. No one is born to a life like hers - or they shouldn't be, anyways.
Remembered that in that time have clear skin without smallpox scars and all the teeth without cavities you were considered attractive because was a sign of health , she had beautiful eyes and a voloptous body so yess she is a solid 10 by the time avarage to nowadays...
More like a solid 3-4 in my book.
@@peterkoller3761Nobody cares about your book.
@@sunnie734fact
She lived an amazing life. I'm glad there are so many photos documenting her presence. 🧡
An excellent commentary of her life. The narrator did a good job.
I am thinking that the camera and photographic technique she was using required several seconds to several minutes exposure. This would result in the somber poses like many other mid-19th century photographic portraits.
Facts❤
By the 1860's, exposures were much shorter than the Daguerreotype Age.
I was wondering why then never smiled.
@@cybervigilante They didn't smile because it wasn't a thing in the 1800s.
Not in sunnier countries.
Fascinating stuff, never heard of her before! Thanks!
Standards of beauty change over the years and photographs rarely do justice to extremely beautiful people so it’s not possible to know for sure how beautiful she actually was
She was not pretty. Maybe her clorhes were pretty.
And yet, who cares, really? Why is the way women look of such perpetual interest to us?
@@kumaranvij what are you, 12?
@@HoneyLee-r3q l honestly don’t believe you can tell from a photograph what people look like. Because of modern technology many people look stunning in a photograph but not so good in real life. Back in those days they didn’t have the flicks and tricks that made people look fabulous in photos. Many people who were beautiful in real life just didn’t photograph as well as they looked.
@@kumaranvij well it was relevant in this particular case because her beauty was used for political reasons and because she would not have left behind a series of historically interesting photos if she had not been a renowned beauty but generally speaking you are right. Women should not of interest just for their looks but beauty is like wealth and intelligence, it can help sometimes. Her looks made this lady who she was but it didn’t do her any good later on
She was a very interesting figure in history and a Narscissts. Her clothes looked exquisite. Like made for a queen! She would have LOVED Social Media! And even in old age sbe would have been posting photos of her yoinger self on dating sites. Very nicely put together and excellent Narration!
It's not like she had a choice. She was born into nobility-raised and trained to it. Married to it as a Teen. Then sent on a mission for it Still as a Teen.
She Definitely Would've Used Filters How Poorly She Aged.
She is literrally the first model and possible a pioner of poses😂😂😂
@@rebeccalee1065Would you have the same opinion if she had been a male?
@@jessicagudino8461She managed to leave a photographic legacy.
Her son was 24 when he died from smallpox
Her facial expressions did not indicate that she was a kind, approachable person. Rather scary, actually.
Nothing about her expression's is scary back then aristocrats did not smile in photo's. Although she was definitely a bit narssistic.
I think she looks tired and angry in all her photos as well. She must have looked prettier when she smiled.
People need to keep in mind during this era one needed to basically freeze their posture for the camera. Otherwise the picture would be blurry. Thus, we never see anyone smiling in these photos.
True. We just get that down turned mouth which is not appealing. A horizontal or upturned mouth would be more pleasing.
@@changeintheair9648 you have to use facial muscles to upturn your mouth so that presents more likelihood for moving.
Cameras were very slow so you had to freeze your eye movement & no blinking! No sneezing, yawning or sighing. You could fart if you could keep perfectly still & not jerk.
Many had bad teeth. 🤓
@@solaura6218 😜 too funny!
The line about "following your dreams" is brilliant! You captured the character of this narcissist well.
She’s a warning for anyone placing too much of their identity into their appearance. A warning that’s never been more apposite than ever in these days of online influencers and beauty queens
Sad thing is, I thing a lot of the exact people who should be seeing her as a warning would probably be totally misinterpreting the story.
That warning must have been spoken a billion times and almost as often ignored. 🙅♀
Just look at the vanity s**tshow that is the modern super rich/movie star/influencer/pop star-sphere. These people are almost all ridiculous.
Thank you for a very interesting and informative history lesson, well done.
Glad you enjoyed it
Your video was well presented. I enjoyed it very much.
Well done!! A very interesting topic, and very well presented!
Something very cold about her.
If you had been whored out by everyone who was supposed to love and protect you from the time you were a child, you'd be a little cold hearted too.
Meanwhile Napoleon
Yes
Only the nephew of the main one. Seemingly a decent ruler by all contemporary accounts.
People always appear rather stoic in the old visual media. The pose had to be held for an extended amount of time, maintaining a neutral facial expression was much easier.
It's interesting that they say that it was her eyes that captivated men.
There's not a single photo there where her eyes don't appear to be..idk.. soulless, to me.
Schizo eye look
Slightly wall eyed...
The tell tale sign of a easy root.
To be fair that's kind of an effect of how photography was at the time. Photos required quite a long exposure and it's really hard to maintain any kind of particularly lively expression while being utterly still for twenty or thirty seconds. That's why most people in old photos aren't smiling, a neutral expression can be maintained without twitching or moving much easier than a smile.
Excellent video and narration!
Yes, it's great to hear a human voice, with human cadence and phrasing, rather than those bloody AI-generated narrations.
Regarding the famous “eye” image, she is looking through a table top picture frame… not a camera. Very well done portrait of this icon. Thank you.
Yeah, I was thinking - that doesn't look like a camera! Thanks for explaining what that actually was, lol.
Definitely different beauty standards back then.
7:23 ... they haven't changed that much..
@@Ebbagull You are right. Beauty standards still dictated by the media and social pressure.
The noted 'hourglass figure' has always been attractive to men.
It's stated that she was blonde. in every photo her hair looks almost black to me.
It's not a "selfie" if someone else snaps the pic.
That's your total take on this story? Congrats!
I guess that's technically true... but she did direct each photo to exacting details. I find her artistic mind quite remarkable, even if it was an extension of her extreme narcissim, lol!
Wow..well done..you narrated that beautifully..bravo
Fab and fascinating video - what a character she was.... Perhaps if she knew we would be looking at her photos and talking about her, she would consider that she had been successful in her life's work. I love the insight into those who met her and she got on their nerves.
How Is VANITY A Plus?
How do you know she would consider that she had been successful in her life's work? It seems to me there is so much judgmental and negative criticism of her here, she probably wouldn't like it very much at all. But then, we don't really know what she would think.
If you look at the life of Gertrude Bell you can see some similarities. What freedom is possible for a young and beautiful girl of noble birth?
Even in the 1950's women were still considered property of their fathers or husbands, especially in heavily religious countries.
Women did not have the freedom to make choices on how to live life outside of marriage and motherhood. This is still true in many Muslim countries today.
She'd have loved Instagram, and Photoshop. 😆
Im seeing more Snapchat :⁷P!
The Countesse's countenance was totally forbidding.
“She didn’t cope well with aging”. I’m shocked.😂
In the photo ... she "was also holding a knife in her hand half hidden in the folds of her dress. She titled the photo Lavan just to make her message extra clear and wouldn't you know she got custody of Georgio for the rest of his life"
*La Vengeance
Never heard of this lady,till now,what an interesting story,and well told,thankyou
Her eyes look evil. I was hoping to compare to photos of her as a child, but none were shown, so I don't know if they always looked this way, or if something happened to change them.
Spoiled golden child
Her actions and appearance scream Narcissistic Psychopath.
Have to agree with you. Chilling.
"Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire 💙 #blessed" just about killed me right there 💀💀💀😂
Enjoyed this video. 1st I’ve seen by you. I’ve subbed. Thx!!!
If only they had given her several more names. None of this would have happened
Maybe if they gave her more names, she'd have been richer. Call her what by what name you want, she'd probably like to have been paid under every name possible.🙂
Like Virginia Elisabetta Luisa Simpkiller Harlotte Unchaste Honeypot Carlotta Antonietta Teresa Maria Oldoini Rapallini?
😂
@@seanb.6793 you forgot her title; Drama Queen
As a mother myself I feel sorry for ANY mother who loses a child, especially her only child, no matter who she may be.
Rest In Peace Georgio.🌹😔🌹
🐾🌈☮️🇨🇦
How would we know that Giorgio was her husband's child? If her job was to sleep her way to the top, could he not be fathered by Napoleon or anyone else's kid?
It was the law. Any children born to a wife automatically belonged to her husband, whether it was his child-or not.
The husband was always the legal father.😮
Even today
Aristocrats did not smile in photos. It was all about the profile, the arms and shoulders. You will note her breasts are on show but a glimpse of her feet was shocking. Different times. She was beautiful in the way all pretty, well born teenagers are beautiful. But as one ages character shows in the face.
Weird because her feet are not even very attractive. 🤷♀️
Is it not true that the vast majority of people, (not just aristocrats), wore serious faces for photos, one of the reasons being that it took awhile to sit for the photo and it was hard to maintain a proper smile for so long? We have quite a few photos of various family members from the same timeframe, none of whom are aristocrats and none of whom are smiling, and it is the same with photos of virtually everyone else that I have seen from that era, too.
@@nicolethompson8613thank you for stating facts instead of just guessing then posting it like it’s the actual truth ❤
Not true about why they didn’t smile. Read more about it.
@@channelchenwhy was not smiling a thing? It was! The picture takes a long time and they couldn’t hold the smile for that long 😂 You might want to do more then just look at the 19th century pictures and actually Study them.
Well done! Thanks for this view into her fascinating life
Apparently back in the day, they called everyone who didnt look like a moose a raving beauty.
If they had money and status
😂 You have a way with words!
By today’s standards, all fake and vulgar , I’d say she was a raving beauty.
😂 I just spat out my coffee
@@Nellis202 yall just say any old thing ..wasn't she considered vulgar at her time? She was literally an old timey kim kardashian thottie.I said what I said, there were many Victorian beauties, she wasn't one of them🤷♀️
I find her to be very beautiful in a classical, Greco-Roman way. She knew how to use what she had to get ahead, and though things didn't work well for her in the end, she had a truly fascinating life. I loved the photos. Very expressive and innovative for her time. I was so sorry to hear about her little Georgie. No one deserves to bury their babies. Very informative. Thanks!
She had a striking look. I think its the force of a strong personality showing through ...and self belief!! Sad she felt so low about aging.
Not just the knife. She’s flipping him the bird with the left.
Yeah, she probably picked that up from Old Nappy. History says that, ummm, gesture started in the Napoleonic Wars. Supposedly, bowmen (archers) needed their middle finger to draw their bowstrings raut to fire an arrow, so their enemies would chop off that digit. To show their disdain to opposing forces, they showed them that their middle fingers were intact! Who'd have thought?!
Single finger is much much older than that (I had a quick Google). As in ancient. It refers to the male genitalia apparently. The 2 finger salute is slightly newer (still much older than napoleon). And it is linked potentially to the bow string thing (think about it, it 'is' more typical to use both fingers). That has also been questioned due to a Shakespeare quote that has the potential removal of fingers referring to the first 3 fingers, but I would argue that 'that’s might not be typical so it probably does come from around this period. Apparently Tho this may have been the victory sign rather than the ruder version which came into more consistent use at the start of the 1900s. When cocking a snook was more common.
TLDR. It’s pretty old school (Ancient Greek/Roman) for either 'you are the male genitalia' or 'go and copulate with oneself'.
In the US, for a period in the 1800's, it wad fairly common to have a "last" family photo taken with a recently departed relative.
All over europe as well
"Ring me up" and "knock me up" meant "come to my door" (doorbells & knockers).
Being ‘ knocked up’ means being pregnant’ double meaning if you really want someone to wake you up by knocking on your door!
I had forgotten it meant that. I remember when I was young, many moons ago, older people saying 'knock me up in the morning'. Thanks for the reminder 😊
@@susancalne7774 'Knocked up' only means pregnant in America. In Anglo-English it means to wake someone up in the morning.
Knocked up in UK, was the term having someone paid to tap at your bedroom window, with a long stick with a knob on the end.
(Usually bedroom windows were above the public rooms floor).
So they would wake you, to be ready for work or appointments.
So you would pay to be knocked up.
This was in the days when there were few clocks on public buildings, only the wealthy had watches, no radio, of course.
So people earned a living walking the streets knocking at windows at required times.
There were also families that earned a living, having bought a watch, setting it every morning to the correct time, and you would pay them to tell you the time, when you saw them in the street..
@@georgielancaster1356 That may have been the case in some areas. However, given that the houses were also owned by the mill and pit owners where the residents worked, it was the owners who paid for the knocker-upper.
In real life she was probably much prettier than the photos.
Losing a child especially one you have an intense bond with, could drive anybody insane.
Beauty? I always felt she looked like she had no upper teeth and wondered if that was the reason she never smiled in her hundreds of photos.
So impressed with the pronunciation!! That's a sub from me
Fascinating for sure but equally sad.
With all her beauty and the benefits her money n connections bestowed her, her significant contributions have long been forgotten n have withered away. Not exactly “ picture perfect”.
Those custody papers were the ONLY thing she didn’t take “lying down”….🥴
😂😂😂😂
Extreme vanity is one of the ugliest characteristics for someone to have!!
Kartrashians.
Thank you. I can't see anything "incredible" or "fascinating" about her, just a horrifically vain woman with main character syndrome, who wasted her incredible life opportunities on wanting to be wanted by dudes. Kinda pathetic really.
She was told her looks were the most important thing about her since she was a kid. I wouldn't judge her too harshly. Things were very different for women back then.
@@kumaranvij Please explain how much different it is now? 😂
@@TheIslandDivision You want to know how being a woman in mid-19th century Italy/France is different from being a woman now? Where do I begin?
Normally, you can choose whom you marry, and you don't need to marry as a teenager. You receive at least a decent education. You can choose a career. You can use birth control if you wish, and it is less likely you will die in childbirth - a very real threat for women back then. You can vote in your own elections - so it is acknowledged that you should have a say in your country's destiny. That's just the tip of the iceberg.
That statement about the Countess' eyes changing color often sounds true to me. My eyes are "hazel", but I'm told sometimes they look green and "flash" when I'm angry.
Careful dear you're sounding awfully narcissistic much like the Countess...
@@ticketyboo2456That is what I was thinking.😎
@@ticketyboo2456, what’s remotely narcissistic about that statement?! They are describing how their eyes appear to change colour, according to what people have told them. They also take on a different appearance when they’re angry. How, exactly are you reading narcissism into that? Lots of people have eyes that appear to change colour - I know several - and the commentator is simply saying that
I had a friend whose eyes were grey I think. When he wore green they were green. When he wore blue they were blue. When he wore grey they were grey.
My daughters eyes are like that sometimes they look blue sometimes they look green
I agree with the notion that actors should hold the studio to a certain standard when portraying well known characters, but that is hard to do once you'vd signed a deal to do x amount of projects.
Napoleon’ s wife cheated and HE was broken hearted and never gave her the affection she was had from
In.
In the last picture, she is looking at the onlooker through an opend picture frame of wood, not a camera.
But otherwise, a great and very interesting docu. Thank you
😊❤
as an italian, from florence no less, I had never heard about her! Only about her cousin Camillo Benzo, who is mentioned in history classes due to his importance in Italian unification. Thank you for this video, taught me so much!
Wow! Facinating! I don't know how this channel ended up in my YT feed, but I sure am grateful! Subscribed! ❤
Welcome aboard!
Her feet , though.
Like trotters😊
In nearly every photograph the Countess's mouth is turned down at the corners. Not my idea of beauty.
0:26’”Dangerous to know.” Gangster. Sounds like she earned it, and I’m not even a minute in.
Um, her feet were grotesque.
I think pictures of her feet were more for shock value. They were forbidden so they were erotic.
Her feet were quite ugly and I thought mine were hideous 😅 It made me feel better about my ugly feet.
That was no Ladies foot, but a Man's foot.. Read my comment..
Still looks like a dude.
Men don’t notice feet.
If only we could see the true colour of her eyes. Said to be mesmerising.
The are a pale blue. I grew up before color photos, so I know how to interpret them.
She was quite beautiful and I’m not sure why so many negative comments. I suppose when you are used to the botoxed, face lifted, boob and butt enhanced women of today you can’t tell real beauty from the fake.
Different beauty standards.
I’m sorry but she is very plain looking; sortof reminds me of my sister. What part of the world do you live in where you haven’t seen objectively prettier women in your everyday life?
Although I do NOT find her good looking, I am repulsed by what famous women do to their bodies. They are pretty, then make themselves look like monsters. Gross.
What an interesting Character! And how marvellous to have all those pictures of her when many people of that time barely had one photo of themselves.. It’s too bad we didn’t have the same amount of history on everyone. Just think of how many amazing people we’ll never know about? What a shame!
Another amazing story. Loved it! 💜
Thank you! 😊
great video thanks!
No beauty in todays standards. You need the technique of bringing her alive.
She must have been the whole package and very interesting to powerful men.
You're missing a word or two causes some confusion here. Is it There is no beauty or She is no beauty?
You want him to clone her??
Great video. Thanks.
Hi. Please place a note of the music you are using in the background. I've been trying to trace one of the pieces for a long time now and thought I'd finally found it.
Even back then enough money could make people believe something is more beautiful than reality. So many cases of what was considered "beautiful" was only good PR and expensive clothing and beauticians, much like today.
Love this channel!!!
Aw shucks! Thanks Katherine :)!
It’s amazing how quickly one’s youthful appearance fades. A very interesting figure especially for her time before cameras in the 20th century became more common place.
All of the negative comments that say she was not a very pretty woman must be blind. While not a raving beauty she certainly was easy on the eyes. I suppose those who can not see that are so used to the plasticized women of today that they do not know the phony from the real.
I dislike plasticised women. She may have been the ultimate one of her time, for all we know. Or at least, the nearest thing. She even 'photoshopped' herself. But I do find her mouth shape particularly unappealing and even a bit malevolent
Or they just have a different opinion than you of what is beautiful.
She's literally ugly by today's standards. You have some nerve calling others blind.
No, we are used to seeing every day women in the streets. Sorry, she is a solid 3...
Found my new fav channel
Another fascinating account. May I ask the name of the film from which excerpts are used here? It looks compelling in itself. With many thanks!
It’s a film of the same name la contessa de castiglioni (or thereabouts) from the 40’s
@@Lomie32Thank you for replying so quickly! With best wishes from Oxford.
I have been small time obsessed with Virginia, Countess of Castiglione for years. I visited Paris four times and each time went to her grave at Pere Lachchaise cemetery and laid flowers. I believe I’ve seen every published picture of her to date however there seem to be no photos of her as a young girl or child… even her son Joe Giorgio was photographed from the time he was born. I would love to see photos of Virginia as a child. She was one of a kind and eccentric, narcissistic, but her photographs let her live on and continue to astonish us, not only with her beauty, but her staging ability. 🌹🌹🌹
The fact that people did not smile, with teeth, in photographs, is maybe why the modern observer says this particular beauty seems cold.
Remember, tooth care was not what it is now. No tooth whitening, no orthodontics, mouths were a mess.
Photos weren't instant, took a long time for one to be taken and it was easier to have a neutral facial expression, especially if many were to be taken.
Also lead and mercury in cosmetics did not really help with teeth.
The obsession with extremely white teeth is very modern. Didn't happen until the end of 20th century.
Skeletal evidence would disagree
Pretty interesting! Thank you.
She looks like Myra Hindley.
I never thought of that but you're right.
She was born 150 years too early. Today she could have been an influencer or model, or a professional photographer, developing her sense of style and talent for posing and arranging photo sessions. Didn't it ever occur to her to get her own camera and take pictures herself? It would have been interesting to see her photos.