NUNS, WIVES, and COURTESANS in the ITALIAN RENAISSANCE PERIOD - PROFESSE - MOGLIE - CORTIGIANA

ANNAS RENAISSANCE ITALIAN : EXCELLENT WRITING ON ITALIAN WOMEN 

I was so impressed with this brief but intelligent piece about women in Renaissance Italy that includes Tullia D'Aragona.  And very good pictures too.

Excerpt: The primary female role in the domestic sphere was expanded by notable women who, by virtue of Renaissance education and new society=al expectations, became art patrons, writers, orators, and simply women of intellect.  Wives assumed a background role in the sustenance of political stability for a spouse.  Women who entered the convent participated in Renaissance cultural novelties; some nuns, professe, received a full humanistic education.  Courtesans, cortigiana, enjoyed a glamourous lifestyle augmented by an education that enabled intellectual interactions in a secular rather than a religious domain.  Whether in marriage, in the convent, in court or in a position of service, each group of women were integral in shaping cultural and societal changes through the Italian Renaissance period.

CLEO AND THE KING: WAS SHE OR WASN'T SHE ?

In the first post this month, I mentioned that the celebrity story of the Belle Epoch dancer Cleopatra "Cleo" de Merode, who modeled for artists and photographers and became known internationally, had much to do with postcards that were mailed around the world. She also gained publicity because she was supposed to be a favored Mistress of King Leopold II of Belgium. 

This was the Belle Epoch in Paris, a time that might have been the best ever for the Courtesans, the woman who had their pick of rich men who gave them money, jewels, and gifts, if not in exchange for sex then in a relationship that most often included it. Ballet dancers were assumed to have patrons from a young age and to be sexual, graduating into Courtesans. Many a poor girl found this was a way to survive, though she might never marry. Some Courtesans started as singers or dancers. Some as prostitutes. It was a way of life that was tolerated, if not accepted, in Paris; some Courtesans became famous for their men. 

Perhaps it was a bit difficult to know who was what.

Cleo's lifestyle lead to her reputation. She danced not just the more respected ballet but also at the Folies Bergere, considered to be the risque forte of the dancer.

Courtesans were seen out and about around town with men, showing off the riches they had gained by dress and ornamentation. They were not hidden away.  In this way both partners were showing off.

In 1896 Cleo was performing at The Opera Ballet as part of the perfomanace of Aida, and the King watched from his private box. He asked to meet her and she went to meet him and didn't come back quickly for the second act to begin. Of course the audience noticed that a half hour had lapsed before she returned to the stage.

Whatever did or didn't happen in that interlude - perhaps nothing more than a star-struck man having a conversation - that the two of them made appearances around town openly together gave the tantalizing rumors some extra flavor.

According to author Michael Garval, I note a century before Brangelina, there was Cleopold or Merodopold. In those days, I note before a person was a brand or could acquire money from allowing their images or name on products, Cleo de Merode's name was put on underwear, cigars, dolls, and other items.*

According to encyclopedia.com,

though both denied any improper relationship, their relationship lasted a decade and it was supposed that they'd had sex in his private Opera box upon first meeting. 

The couple were lampooned in cartoons in which the King was portrayed as horny but also unfairly cheap and cold to his wife, daughters, and sister, because instead he bought jewels for Cleo.

According to Betty Klein, in her 1966 book "The Mistresses: Domestic Scandals of Nineteenth Century Monarchs," that Cleo was Leopold's Mistress was understood in Brussels. As well, the relationship was also acknowledged in other Royal Courts - in England, Russia, and Denmark. Though the King would've been 71 after a decade with Cleo, it was said he moved on to other extramarital relationships.

C 2021 Mistress Manifesto BlogSpot

*Michael D. Garval, in his book, "Cleo de Merode and the Rise of Modern Celebrity Culture," page 94. I'll be posting some strong direct quotes from this book later in the month.

SUSAN GRIFFIN : THE BOOK OF COURTESANS

The Book of Courtesans
A Catalogue of Their Virtues
C 2001 Susan Griffin
Broadway Books new York

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A "MISTRESS" and A "COURTESAN?" Susan Griffin is a wonderful author, her language lyrical, as she displays for us the VIRTUES.

Page 4

"And unlike the mistress of a married man, who is often kept hidden, just as the courtesan was proud of her jewelry, she too was proudly displayed. She was expected to accompany her various lovers to public places and events, cafes, restaurants, balls, parties, the theatre, the opera, even hosting gathering of her lover's friends at her home..... During the Belle Epoque in Paris, among the wealthy playboys, aristocrats, and businessmen who belonged to the exclusive Jockey Club, it was considered de rigueur to keep a courtesan - so much so that even homosexual men felt they had to do it for show.

ROBERT BURTON on ITALIAN MISTRESSES

"Why are Italians at this day generally so good poets and painters? Because every man of any fashion among them hath his mistress." - Robert Burton

ANCIENT GREEK HETAIRA : COURTESANS and MISTRESSES OF THE ANCIENT WORLD : SEPTEMBER 2011

This month, I celebrate the ancient HETAIRA - COURTESANS or MISTRESSES - of Ancient Greece, a male dominated society in which marriage was rarely for love. Extensive information with lots of references at this link to the University of Chicago.

"In classical literature, there are witty hetairai and ones of divine beauty, those who are generous with their wealth and others with hearts of gold. But, for all these portrayals, it must be remembered that virtually none were citizens of Athens; many were slaves who had been purchased and trained from childhood in such a life. Whatever power they had came from their ability to be recognized by the powerful men with whom they consorted, who would love them and made them their mistresses or concubines."

DOCTOR TONI GRANT says "A GOOD MISTRESS IS ...

...usually strong in the courtesan aspect of her personality!
-Dr. Toni Grant, from her successful book "On Being A Woman."

VICTORIA GRIFFIN - SELF CONFESSED MISTRESS AND INTERPRETATIONS OF THE OTHER WOMAN : SEPTEMBER 2011 MISTRESS OF THE MONTH

VICTORIA GRIFFIN, a self confessed mistress, wrote this book, and it's a fascinating read, that I highly recommend. She goes into the mistress archetype and ancient Greece and profiles women she feels fit the "mistress type."

I'm linking to a good article in Heloise, United Kingdom, about Victoria in which she speaks about her own experience as a mistress. She seems to truly enjoy the mistress lifestyle and she has made sense of herself and her world.

THE OIL VENDOR and THE COURTESAN by FENG MENGLONG : MISTRESS MANIFESTO BOOK REVIEW

Of special interest to Mistresses!

The Oil Vender and the Courtesan
Tales from the Ming Dynasty
by Feng Menglong
and Translated by Ted Wang and Chen Chen
Welcome Rain Publishers, New York

A wonderful book full of special short stories that have the feel of real life and of special interest to readers of MISTRESS MANIFESTO ! The tale of the title is about a young woman alone who is taken as a young girl into a house of prostitution, which is sounding very similar to the Japanese custom of Geisha.

The story revolves around the character is Miss Lovely, who works for Ninth Mother Wang, the madam. Reluctant to be a prostitute because she comes from a good family, this is the talk that she is given by the madam... on page 11. The italic is mine.

"I was born in a good family," said Miss Lovely," and it only my mischance that I have landed in this house of prostitution. Nothing would make me happier than your helping me find a husband and becoming a decent woman. I would die rather than have to stand at the doorway to welcome and send off patrons with a simpering smile on my lips."

Fourth Mother Liu replied, "becoming a decent woman, or "going straight" as we call it, is indeed the right thing to do. That, I do not gainsay. However, going straight comes in different ways and takes different forms."

Miss Lovely asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Fourth Mother explained. "Well, there is going straight and felicitous going straight. Or going straight may take place when times are still good, or may be done in desperation. Going straight may be final, but it may also be unfulfilled. Bear with me, my child, as I explain these choices to you.

"What is true going straight? The best match is, of course, between a handsome scholar and a beautiful woman. Such a good thing occurs quite infrequently and is indeed rare. But once two such persons are fortunate enough to meet, it is love at first sight, with the man wiling to take the woman, and the woman willing to give herself. With them, it is like the mating of moths that cling together until they die. This is true going straight.

"So what is false going straight? A patron may fall in love with a girl but she does not love him. She has no real wish to marry him but uses the word "marriage" to titillate his passions and have him splurge his money on her. Should a deal be concluded, however, she is likely to seek excuses to go back on it. There are also some single-minded fellows who insist on marrying the girl, even though he knows full well that she has no liking for him. He pays the madam of the house a big sum of money to overcome the girl's objections. She marries him reluctantly, and then purposely flouts the rules of the household in all possible ways, everything from creating scenes and throwing tantrums to openly carrying on with other men. This she does until the family can no longer countenance her, and in a year or even a few months time they drive her out of the house and she goes back to prostitution. Going straight, is in her case, a means to make money, and is false.

"What is bitter going straight? A patron may like a girl who dislikes him but is cowed by his power. The Mother, too, is afraid there will be trouble and agrees to the match. Thereafter, the girl has no more control over her own destiny. She marries with tears in her eyes, and entering the doors of that powerful family is like plunging into a bottomless ocean. The rules of the household are so strict she cannot lift her head. Her position is one of the half-servant and half concubine, up to the day she dies. That is bitter going straight. 

"So what is felicitous going straight? That is when a girl who is seeking someone to marry, comes across a man with a mild temper and considerable means. He also has an agreeable first wife who has no children of her own and counts on the girl to give birth to a son after marrying into the family. If the girl does produce an heir, her position will be that of a principal mother. Thus by marrying the man, she can count on a comfortable life today and a good status in future. That is felicitous going straight. 

What, then, is going straight when times are still good? When the girl is still enjoying a life of moonlight and flowers, when she is still at the height of popularity, she entrusts me with finding a satisfactory husband, having made up her mind to turn her life about before she falls out of favor. This is going straight when times are still good.

"What is going straight in desperation? That is when the girl has no desire to marry but is compelled to do so because of some lawsuit, or because she is suffering abuse at the hands of rich and powerful clients, or because she owes so much money she will never be able to discharge her debts. So she swallows her pride and marries whoever will take her, simply to find refuge and obtain some peace.

"What i is final going straight? That is when the girl who is approaching middle age but is still going strong, meets an honest patron with whom she shares much in common. Both unfurl their sails, and they spend the rest of their years together. That is called final going straight.

"What on the other hand is unfulfilled going straight? It happens when both the man and the girl apparently desire each other with a fiery passion and she goes to live with him. But their loves turn out to be merely a passing fancy, devoid of permanent objectives, and friction arises. Or it may be that the man's parents will not countenance her, or his wife is consumed by jealousy. At any rate, after a number of set-tos, the family sends the girl back to the brothel and demands a refund of the price paid for her. Or, the family may fall on bad times and can no longer provide for her. Unable to bear poverty, she goes back to her old ways, and like a third class whore, resorts to soliciting patrons at restaurants and tea houses. That is called unfulfilled going straight."

Miss lovely asked, "I wish to go straight properly, so how should I do that?"

LA TIMES ON GOLDEN CANARIES OF CHINA - MISTRESSHOOD IS BACK IN BOOMTIME

"Concubines were status symbols in imperial China. After the Communists took power, they sought to root out such bourgeois evils, even as Chairman Mao Tse-tung reportedly kept a harem of peasant women into his old age.

Now, mistresses have become a must-have for party officials, bureaucrats and businessmen.

"We are in a commodity economy," says retired Shanghai University sociologist Liu Dalin.

"Work, technology, love, beauty, power -- it's all tradable."

"So-called concubine villages -- places where lotharios keep "second wives" in comfort and seclusion -- are now spread across the nation, in booming cities such as Dongguan, Chengdu and Shanghai...." Don Lee, LA TIMES

Read the full article now!

CLARE BOOTH LUCE said

"A man has only one escape from his old self ... To see a different self in the mirror of some woman's eyes."

Clare Booth Luce in her successful play "The Women"

PEGGY HOPKINS JOYCE : SPENDTHRIFTY GOLD DIGGER : MISTRESS OF THE MONTH

PEGGY HOPKINS JOYCE : SPENDTHRIFTY GOLD DIGGER : MISTRESS OF THE MONTH

EMMA MARGUERITE "PEGGY" UPTON

First posted on April 5th 2010

PEGGY was THE MOST PUBLICIZED MISTRESS - COURTESAN OF THE 1920's and 1030's. She was introduced to Florenz Ziegfeld, who owned the famous showgirl venue New Amsterdam Theatre, by a dressmaker to fashionable ladies, Madame Frances, and her career began. She was a heartbreaker and international celebrity, perhaps the first famous to be famous woman of the 20th century. She was known for her spendthrifty ways as well as a steamy sex life. Was Peggy ruthless and sociopathic? Or did she simply decide at a young age that she would do well, beyond her childhood as the daughter of a Norfolk barber?

She had three multimillionaire husbands. And a great number of generous patrons. She came to own one of the largest blue diamonds known to the world in her time.

 
I'll be quoting from the book GOLD DIGGER by Constance Rosenblum, on this blog. The link to the New York Times book review is at the title above.

C 2010 - 2026 Mistress Manifesto - BlogSpot

PRINCESS MASAKO PRISONER OF THE CHRYSANTHEMUM THRONE

PRINCESS MASAKA is a Tragic True Story of Japan's Crown Princess. It's C 2006 by Ben Hills.

What's really interesting about this book is the information on how Japan's royal family has sustained itself through the accepted relationship of Emperor with courtesans. Princess Masaka is a highly educated woman (Harvard) who speaks several languages, lived in the United States and Britain as a child of a diplomat and rose to be a diplomat herself. But once Miss Owada accepted the proposal of the Emperor to be, her long time by now husband Naruhito, her life became more constrained than Princess Diana's ever was.

She was stifled and conformed until - it seems - she had a nervous breakdown. The crux of the matter was that her intelligence and all the things that attracted him to her were not of use to her as his wife. Her only role was a diminished one, to bear a son and keep the throne in the family. As a result of what was probably years of infertility treatments, she bore a beloved daughter. But the pressure on her to try again and bear a son went on. And she has thus been criticized terribly by the Japanese. A sister-in-law has had a son who is in line as a male. Divorce has been discussed. Her husband seems to be sticking by her and so he must love her. This couple is just too modern for the highest society of Japan. As Westerners we say SHAME ON JAPAN!

We hate to hear of any woman having her spirit broken because her whole life must revolve around her reproductive ability. However, this is a case where in the past the son of a courtesan would have eased the pressure upon her that broke her.

WILL JAPAN GET WITH IT AND ALLOW A FEMALE TO BE EMPRESS without having to be married?