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FornarinaRaphael's lover
Country:
 Italy |
Content:
Biography of Fornarina - The Beloved of Raphael
Margherita Luti, also known as Fornarina, was the beloved of the renowned artist Raphael. Her image was captured by the great artist in several paintings, including the famous "Sistine Madonna." "Once in a human soul, there was such a revelation; it cannot happen twice..." wrote the poet V.A. Zhukovsky, who visited the Dresden gallery in 1821 and admired Raphael's "Sistine Madonna." "The hour I spent in front of this Madonna belongs to the happiest hours of my life." Surprisingly, the heavenly features of the Immaculate Virgin were not inspired by an angelic creation. So who was the chosen one of the genius who managed to capture his heart?
The Meeting and Love Story
In 1514, Pope Leo X appointed Raphael as the chief architect of St. Peter's Basilica. Agostino Chigi, a banker who rivalled the Pope's love for the arts, offered Raphael the opportunity to decorate the main gallery of his Farnesina Palace on the banks of the Tiber River as soon as he learned that the famous artist was in Rome. Since Raphael could not live in the Vatican, the banker provided him with luxurious apartments in his palace overlooking a beautiful park, sparing no expense.
The artist adorned the walls with the famous frescoes "The Three Graces" and "Galatea" but struggled to find a model for "Cupid and Psyche." One day, while strolling through the park with his student Francesco Penni, he came across a girl of astonishing beauty standing near a tree, bathed in the sunlight streaming through the leaves. Enchanted, Raphael learned that her name was Margherita Luti, the daughter of a baker who lived nearby. The girl had long dreamed of walking in the wonderful Farnesina Park. Raphael offered to accompany her. "I have finally found my Psyche!" he whispered to Penni on the way.
After their walk, Raphael brought Margherita to his studio. The beautiful baker's daughter admired the sketches and studies, sincerely amazed by the maestro's art. Raphael proposed to paint her portrait, but Margherita needed permission from her father and fiancé. The mention of her fiancé slightly unsettled the artist, but the beauty quickly pointed out that she was marrying him not out of love but because it was embarrassing to remain unmarried at 17. Besides, her fiancé was just a shepherd in Albano, an estate of Agostino Chigi.
Raphael said that Margherita, with her beautiful eyes, lovely mouth, and magnificent hair, should belong to at least a prince. As a token of gratitude for her visit, the artist offered Margherita a splendid golden necklace he had bought the day before for a courtesan named Andrea, but she refused to accept such an expensive gift. Raphael then proposed that she buy the necklace for only ten kisses. Margherita glanced at the shopkeeper. Raphael, being in his early thirties and quite attractive, caused the purchase to be made, but not for ten kisses, but for a hundred, for a thousand kisses! Breaking free from his embrace, Margherita ran away, shouting that if Raphael wanted to meet her again tomorrow, he should talk to her father. Raphael entered Luti's bakery after her and, paying 50 gold coins, obtained the father's consent to paint as many portraits of his daughter as he desired. The compliant father also promised to speak with his future son-in-law, the shepherd.
Raphael spent the entire night sleepless, passionately in love with the beautiful Fornarina (forno - oven, fornaj - baker). At that time, the baker's daughter was resolving her relationship with her fiancé Tommaso Cianelli, who had been courting her for a month, spending nights with her. The shepherd immediately noticed the precious necklace she did not take off. Tommaso accused her of infidelity. Did she want to become like Raphael's courtesans? The girl, angered, replied that she was willing to become anyone to have mountains of gold and escape the wild scenes she had to endure as an honest woman. The shepherd came to his senses and pleaded for forgiveness. Margherita forgave him, making him promise to visit her only by invitation. Tommaso demanded that Margherita solemnly swear in the church that she would marry him. At dawn, Tommaso and Margherita were in the church, where the girl pledged her faithfulness to her fiancé, and a few days later, she made the same pledge to Raphael. This girl was destined to be the first and only love of the great Raphael. He had been spoiled by women, but now his heart belonged to Fornarina.
Their Life Together
Raphael, overwhelmed by the opportunity to combine love and art, passionately immersed himself in his work, sometimes leaving his beloved alone with her thoughts for whole days. But it was not just with her thoughts...
Fornarina received another threatening letter from her fiancé. And at that moment, she was informed of Agostino Chigi's visit. The girl quickly unbuttoned her cloak, revealing her beautiful shoulders. Without hesitation, the banker embraced her slender figure and kissed her passionately, swearing his love and begging for her affection in return. Fornarina demanded proof... That same evening, Tommaso Cianelli was taken to the Santo Cosimato monastery, where the abbot, Chigi's cousin, promised to keep the shepherd for a symbolic fee until he received orders to release him.
In 1518, Raphael took on Carlo Terriboccio, a young artist from Bologna, as one of his students. Soon, everyone except the maestro knew about his love affair with Margherita. The other students cut off all ties with Terriboccio, considering him despicable for his actions. It led to a duel in which the Bolognese artist fell, struck by the sword of Perino del Vaga. Raphael concealed the true cause of the duel, and Fornarina found another admirer.
The thirst for love, for passionate kisses and embraces of a courtesan who never denied him affection, soon took a toll on the health of the genius artist. Upon learning of his severe illness, Pope Leo X sent his blessings to the dying artist. The cardinal found Fornarina at his bedside and asked her to leave as he could not deliver the Pope's blessing in the presence of a woman who was not the dying man's lawful wife.
The great artist passed away on Good Friday, April 6, 1520, his birthday. According to his will, he left enough for his beloved to lead an honorable life, but she continued to rely on Agostino Chigi's patronage and was considered one of the most renowned courtesans in Rome.
Immediately after the artist's death, fearing the wrath of Raphael's students, Margherita hid in her father's house for several days, where she was found by Tommaso Cianelli, who had spent five years in captivity. Margherita prepared for the worst but, seeing that her former fiancé had no intention of killing her, shamelessly offered herself. Tommaso turned away with contempt and, grabbing a handful of dirt, threw it in the face of the one he once adored...
Margherita Luti ended her life in a convent, but the exact date is unknown. Such is the story of the life of the woman whose idealized image adorns palaces and museums.
