Their faces are familiar to almost everyone.
About the picture we first know two things: its author and perhaps the story of the canvas. But the fate of those who looks at us from the canvases, we know not so much. Today we decided to talk about the women whose faces we are familiar, and their stories are not.
1. Jeanne Samary — Auguste Renoir, “portrait of the actress Jeanne Samari”, 1877.
Actress Jeanne Samari, though are unable to become a star of stage (she played mostly maids), but lucky for her something else: for some time she lived near the Studio of Renoir, who in 1877-1878 was painted four portraits of her, thereby glorifying far more than it could do her acting career. Jeanne has appeared in productions with 18 years, at 25 she got married and had three children, and then even wrote a children’s book. But he lived this charming lady, unfortunately, a short time in 33 years became ill with typhoid fever and died.
2. Cecilia Gallerani — Leonardo da Vinci, “Lady with an ermine”, 1489-1490.
Cecilia Gallerani was a girl from a noble Italian family, who at the age of 10 (!) years was already engaged. However, when the girl was 14, the engagement for unknown reasons was canceled, and Cecilia is sent to a monastery, where he met (or it was a setup) with the Duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza. Began a novel, Cecilia became pregnant, and the Duke placed the girl in his castle, but then it was time to enter into a dynastic marriage with another woman, which, of course, the presence of the mistress in their house do not like. Then after the birth Gallerani, the Duke took his son, but she was married to an impoverished count.
In this marriage, Cecilia gave birth to four children, kept almost the first European literary salon, visited the Duke at a party and enjoyed playing with his child from a new lover. After a while the husband of Cecilia died, the war came, she lost her welfare and found refuge in the home of the sister of the same of their wives — in such a wonderful relationship she managed to be with people. After the war, Gallerani returned to his estate, where he lived until his death at the age of 63 years.
3. Zinaida Yusupova — V. A. Serov, “Portrait of Princess Zinaida Yusupova”, 1902
A rich Russian heiress, last of the Yusupov, Princess Zinaida was incredibly handsome, and, despite the fact that its location was made among others of the Royal family, she wanted to marry for love. Wish his she realized: the marriage was happy and brought two sons. Yusupov a lot of time and effort spent on charitable activities, and after the revolution continued and in exile. Beloved eldest son was killed in a duel, when the Princess was 47 years old, and she suffered that kind of loss. Since the beginning of unrest Yusupov left Petersburg and settled in Rome, and after the death of her husband the Princess moved to her son in Paris, where he spent the remainder of his days.
4. Maria Lopukhina — V. L. Borovikovsky “Portrait of M. I. Lopukhina”, 1797
Borovikovsky wrote a lot of portraits of Russian noblewomen, but this is the most fascinating. Maria Lopukhina, the representative of the aristocratic Tolstoy family, pictured here at the tender age of 18. The portrait was commissioned by her husband Stepan Avraamovich Lopukhin soon after the wedding. Ease and slightly arrogant glance seem to be whether the usual pose for a similar portrait of the era of sentimentalism, or signs of melancholy and poetic disposition. The fate of this mysterious girl was sad: after only 6 years after the painting Maria died from tuberculosis.
5. Giovanina and Amazilia Pacini — Karl Briullov, “Rider”, 1832
“Horsewoman” Briullov — the brilliant official portrait, in which luxurious and bright colors, and the splendor of the hangings, and the beauty of the models. It depicts two girls, who bore the surname Pacini: senior Jovanna sitting on horses, Junior Amazilia looks at her from the porch. Painting Karl Briullov — its long beloved ordered their foster mother, Countess Julia Pavlovna Samoilova, one of the most beautiful women of Russia and the heir of the huge state. Grown-up daughters, the Countess guaranteed a large dowry. But it so happened that by old age it almost went bankrupt, and then foster daughter Giovanina and Amazilia through the court exacted from the Countess promised the money and property.
6. Simonetta Vespucci, Sandro Botticelli, “the Birth of Venus”, 1482-1486.
In a famous painting by Botticelli depicts Simonetta Vespucci — the first beauty of the Florentine Renaissance. Simonetta was born in a wealthy family, at age 16, she married Marco Vespucci (cousin of Amerigo Vespucci “discovering” America and gave the continent its name). After the wedding, the couple settled in Florence, had been taken at the court of Lorenzo de ‘ Medici, in those years, famous for lush banquets and receptions.
Beautiful, very humble and friendly Simonetta quickly fall in love with the Florentine men. To take care of her tried and the ruler of Florence Lorenzo, but actively sought it his brother Giuliano. The beauty of Simonetta inspired many artists of the time, among whom was Sandro Botticelli. It is believed that from the moment they meet the model for all the Madonnas and Venus by Botticelli was Simonetta. At the age of 23 years, Simonetta died of consumption, despite the efforts of the best court physicians. After that, the artist depicted his Muse only memory, and in old age bequeathed to be buried next to her, and this was done.
7. Vera Mamontov, V. A. Serov “Girl with peaches”, 1887
The most famous picture of the master of the portrait by Valentin Serov was written in the manor of a rich industrialist Savva Mamontov. Every day for two months the artist posed his daughter, 12-year-old Faith. The girl grew up and turned into a charming girl, married for mutual love for Alexander Samarin, belonging to the famous noble family. After a wedding trip to Italy, the family settled in the town of Bogorodsk, where one after the other had three children. But suddenly in December 1907, after only 5 years after the wedding, Vera Savvichna died from pneumonia. She was only 32 years old, and her husband never got married.
8. Alexandra Struiskaya — F. Rokotov “Portrait of Struisky”, 1772
This portrait by Rokotov like air hints. Alexander Struisky was 18 when she was married to a very rich widower. Legend has it that at the wedding her husband gave her no more and no less a new Church. And all his life he wrote poems to her. Was this a happy marriage, no one knows, but everyone who had been in their house, pay attention to how disparate the spouses. In 24 years of marriage, Alexandra gave birth to her husband of 18 children, 10 of whom died in infancy. After her husband’s death she lived another 40 years, firmly managed the estate and had left the children in decent condition.
9. Galina Vladimirovna Aderks — B. M. Kustodiev, “merchant’s wife at tea,” 1918
“Merchant’s wife at tea” Kustodiev — a real illustration of the bright and well-fed Russia, where the fair, the carousel and the “crunch French bread”. The painting was in the post-revolutionary starvation 1918, when such abundance could only dream of.
For the widow in this portrait-painting posed Galina Vladimirovna Aderks — natural Baroness of the race, leading its history as much as one of the Livonian knights of the XVIII century. In Astrakhan Galya Aderes was roommate Kustodieva around the house, from the sixth floor; in the Studio the girl brought the artist’s wife, noticing the colorful model. During this period of Aderes was quite young — a student, a freshman of the school of medicine and the outline of her figure looks much thinner. After graduating from University and having spent some time as a surgeon, she left the profession in the Soviet years, sang in the Russian choir, participated in the dubbing of movies, got married and began to perform in the circus.
10. Lisa del Giocondo, Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa, 1503-1519.
Perhaps one of the most famous and enigmatic portraits of all times and peoples is the famous Mona Lisa brush of the great Leonardo. Among the many versions about who owns the legendary smile, is officially in 2005 confirmed the following: the painting depicts Lisa del Giocondo, wife of a silk merchant from Florence Francesco del Giocondo. The portrait could be commissioned the artist to celebrate the birth of a son and buying a house.
Together with her husband, Lisa has raised five children, and, most likely, her marriage was founded on love. When the husband died from the plague and Lisa were also impressed by this serious illness, one of the daughters was not afraid to take my mother with me and nursed it back to health. Mona Lisa recovered, and lived for some time together with his daughters, he passed away at the age of 63.
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