Prince Oddone of Savoy, Duke of Montferrat (Oddone Eugenio Maria; 11 July 1846 – 22 January 1866) was an Italian humanist and

philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private goo ...

and member of the

Royal House of Savoy The House of Savoy ( it, Casa Savoia) was a royal dynasty that was established in 1003 in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, the family grew in power from ruling a small Alpine county north-west of Italy to absolute rule of ...

. He was the fourth child and third eldest son of King

Victor Emmanuel II of Italy en, Victor Emmanuel Maria Albert Eugene Ferdinand Thomas , house = Savoy , father = Charles Albert of Sardinia , mother = Maria Theresa of Austria , religion = Roman Catholicism , image_size = 252px , succession1 ...

and his wife Adelaide of Austria.

Life

Born with a serious

genetic disease A genetic disorder is a health problem caused by one or more abnormalities in the genome. It can be caused by a mutation in a single gene (monogenic) or multiple genes (polygenic) or by a chromosomal abnormality. Although polygenic disorders ...

, from the age of two he showed severely debilitating symptoms ( dwarfism and developmental deformity); he was therefore placed on the margins of the court life of the

House of Savoy The House of Savoy ( it, Casa Savoia) was a royal dynasty that was established in 1003 in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, the family grew in power from ruling a small Alpine county north-west of Italy to absolute rule of ...

due to poor health. Endowed with uncommon intelligence, resourcefulness and intellectual liveliness, he therefore dedicated himself to studying, taking an interest in his short existence in various subjects, both scientific and artistic. During his brief life, the prince was occupied with the study of art and the acquisition of artifacts from ancient Greece and Rome for the city of Genoa, which remain in the Museum of Ligurian Archaeology ( it, Museo di Archeologia Ligure). Other pieces Oddone collected and donated are present at Genoa's Gallery of Modern Art, which is partly named for the prince. Oddone lived the last four years of his life in Genoa. The prince chose Genoa for his residence for its mild climate that benefited his ailing physical condition. As a scholar, the prince had come into contact with leading cultural figures, including the sculptor

Santo Varni Santo Varni (1807 in Genoa – 1885) was an Italian sculptor active mainly in Liguria. He began his training at the Accademia Ligustica di Belle Arti, where he was a pupil of Giuseppe Gaggini. He moved to Florence, where he was a pupil of ...

, who served as his adviser and friend,

Tammar Luxoro Tammar Luxoro (February 11, 1825 – November 25, 1899) was an Italian painter, mainly painting landscapes on site. Biography He was born in Genoa. He enrolled in the Accademia Ligustica di Belle Arti, Accademia Ligustica of Fine Arts in ...

, and Pasquale Domenico Cambiaso. Oddone died at age 19 at the Royal Palace of Genoa shortly before dawn on 22 January 1866.

Ancestry

References

Bibliography

* "Odone of Savoy 1846-1866. Collections of a prince for Genoa", Mazzotta, Milan, 1996. {{DEFAULTSORT:Oddone, Duke of Montferrat, Prince 1866 deaths 1846 births Burials at the Basilica of Superga Dukes of Montferrat Nobility from Turin Italian philanthropists Italian princes Nobility from Genoa Princes of Savoy Royalty and nobility with disabilities Victor Emmanuel II of Italy Sons of kings