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Annina Morosini, born Anna Sara Nicoletta Maria Rombo (1864–1954), was an Italian noblewoman who was famous for her salons, her patronage of the arts and her lovers.
She then lived at the Palazzo da Mula on the Grand Canal and was called the "uncrowned Queen of Venice,” "La Divina" and "The Last Dogaress" because her husband's family had produced four
Annina Morosini, born Anna Sara Nicoletta Maria Rombo (1864–1954), was an Italian noblewoman who was famous for her salons, her patronage of the arts and her lovers.
Life
She was one of three daughters born to Agostino Rombo, the director of the Bank of Italy and his wife Caroline Thorel who came from a family of wealthy bankers. Annina's two sisters, Sonia and Sofia passed away very young, plunging her mother into depression and making her focus all her time and energy on Morosini. The family relocated from Palermo to Venice in the 1880s, where Annina's beauty as well as the wealth of the family made her appear as a very eligible bride. In May 1885 she married Michele (Gino) Morosini of the venetian Morosini family The wedding was a lavish affair attended by many members of the Venetian nobility. The pink wedding gown worn by the bride was made by the Worth fashion house. Her husband's family was seen as one of the ancient noble families of Venice, but they were poor in wealth. Nevertheless, through Annina's dowry and her husband's illustrious family it was seen as a splendid match. The newlyweds made their home at the luxurious palazzo Ca' d'Oro and in 1886 had a daughter named Morosina. But while Morosini threw herself into Venetian society, her husband was not interested in that life and was a reserved and shy person. The couple drifted apart and the separation became final when her husband moved to Paris to pursue his own interests. Morosini became a lady in waiting to Elena, Queen of Italy.
She then lived at the Palazzo da Mula on the Grand Canal and was called the "uncrowned Queen of Venice,” "La Divina" and "The Last Dogaress" because her husband's family had produced four doges
A doge ( , ; plural dogi or doges) was an elected lord and head of state in several Italian city-states, notably Venice and Genoa, during the medieval and renaissance periods. Such states are referred to as " crowned republics".
Etymology
The ...
and because of her being a leader of Venetian society. The countess knew many luminaries of her day like Rilke
René Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria Rilke (4 December 1875 – 29 December 1926), shortened to Rainer Maria Rilke (), was an Austrian poet and novelist. He has been acclaimed as an idiosyncratic and expressive poet, and is widely recogni ...
, Proust Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (6 April 1971) was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor, later of French (from 1934) and American (from 1945) citizenship. He is widely considered one of the most important and influential 20th-century clas ...
and, Joyce.
She inherited the Villa Carlotta in Silea in 1913 from her father.
Her daughter Morosina married Luigi Nicolis dei Conti di Robilant e Cereaglio, the son of statesman Charles di Robilant.
Several artists like Lino Selvatico, Ralph Curtis
Second Lieutenant Ralph Luxmore Curtis (19 March 1898 – 21 September 1917) was a World War I British flying ace credited with fifteen aerial victories. He died from wounds sustained when he engaged in aerial combat with Hermann Göring, co ...
and Cherubino Kirchmayr
Cherubino Kirchmayr (1848–1903) was an Italian painter.
He was born in Venice, then part of the Austrian Empire, and studied in the Accademia di Belle Arti of that city, where for two years he was also adjunct professor of elements of figure ...
and Vittorio Matteo Corcos
Vittorio Matteo Corcos (4 October 1859 – 8 November 1933) was an Italian painter, known for his portraits. Many of his genre works depict winsome and finely dressed young men and women, in moments of repose and recreation.
Biography
He was bo ...
painted her. She was also a friend of the writer Gabriele D'Annunzio who used to say "that the countess ' dresses concealed a fishtail."
She was also intimate friend of the emperor Wilhelm II as well as Amedeo of Savoy, Duke of Aosta, the brother of Umberto I. Lady Layard was acquainted with her but complained that she kept her rooms dark and almost smothered with scent.
There is an anecdote whch tells of her meeting with her rival socialite Luisa Casati who said to the countess: "When I was a child my father already told me about your famous beauty." To which Annina replied: "Without going so far back, my dear, your husband, every evening, spoke to me about yours"; the implication being that they were on intimate terms.
Morosini also attended the air show at Brescia and is mentioned briefly by Kafka in his short story '' The Aeroplanes at Brescia''.
In the 1930s the countess was seen as the leader of the social faction that represented the old noble families of Venice.
Death
She continued on as a grand dame of society but rarely left her palazzo until her death in 1954 of a stroke.References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morosini, Annina 19th-century Italian nobility Italian salon-holders 1864 births 1954 deaths