Imperia Cognati

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Imperia Cognati , also known as Donna Imperia or the Imperia la divina ( Italian Divine Imperia ), (born August 3, 1486 in Rome , died August 15, 1512 there ) was a Roman courtesan . Many details of her life are unclear.

Name and origin

Depiction of Imperia as Sibyl on the left in the picture
Depiction of Imperia as Galatea
Presumed representation of Imperia as Sappho

Imperia was the daughter of Diana di Pietro Cognati (also traditionally: Cugnati, Corgnati ), a Roman prostitute. Her father had either the first name Paris or the surname "De Paris " as a descent designation. It has therefore been speculated whether the later papal master of ceremonies Paris de Grassis (approx. 1470–1528) could be her father. Imperia called herself Imperia (di Pietro) Cognati in several documents and Imperia de Paris only in her will . The first name Lucrezia, which is sometimes ascribed to her, may come from her daughter and is not her own baptismal name.

There were further uncertainties due to their place and date of birth. The year 1481 with the same calendar date is often given in the sources as the year of birth. In addition to Rome (Via Alessandrina in the Borgo district ), Ferrara was also considered a possible place of origin.

Working life

She chose the name Imperia as her stage name at an early age or, after the birth of her daughter, began to prostitute herself in high society under her real name. What is certain is that soon after entering professional life, she was regarded as a formative representative of the courtesan's lifestyle. Their charm and intelligence were praised by contemporaries. Her most important lover was the banker Agostino Chigi . He financed their lavish lifestyle; Documents show that she owned both a house in Rome and a villa outside the city.

The palace of the Divine Imperia is said to have had a princely shape and to have surrounded itself with an entourage of the sons of the noblest families. Raffael , for whom the beautiful Imperia was a model on several occasions, was one of these friends . The unequivocal inscription is said to have stood above their door portal, stating that those entering should bring a spirit, wit and a good mood and that those who leave should leave behind money or a handsome present. Another rumored anecdote is the saying that Rome was given twice by the gods: Mars gave them the Imperium Romanum , Venus the Imperia.

Known mistress

death

There are also various traditions about her death. She is said to have taken poison on August 13, 1512 and made her will, and died two days later, although her desperate patron had brought doctors to her. The motives for the suicide are mentioned: lovesickness, the feeling of being reset by the younger lover Chigis, a reaction to the behavior of her lover Bufalo or even a hopeless honor dispute with Pope Julius II.

On the other hand, the contemporary author Pietro Aretino reports that Imperia was rich and honored [...] and died worthily in her own house .

Chigi financed a stately burial and a grave monument for them in the church of Santi Andrea e Gregorio al Monte Celio , which has not been preserved.

family

At the age of 17 or 14 she gave birth to a daughter named Lucrezia, whose paternity is attributed to Agostino Chigi by most historians . Lucrezia's actual father can no longer be determined. In the will of 1512 Lucrezia was named her mother's heir, and Paolo Trotti, cantor of the papal chapel, was appointed stepfather.

Imperia made Agostino Chigi, Ulisse Lanciarini da Fano, and Paolo and Diana di Trevi their executors and asked Chigi to arrange a marriage for their daughter. Lucrezia grew up in Siena or in the convent of Santa Maria in Campo Marzio, protected and virtuous. She married Arcangelo Colonna in 1514 , had two sons with him and quarreled with her grandmother, who had been compensated with only 100 ducats, about her mother's inheritance until 1521. She poisoned herself on January 9, 1522, because she saw this as the only way to fend off Cardinal Raffaele Petrucci's advances . She survived the suicide attempt and was henceforth considered to be a virtuous woman.

The existence of a second daughter of Imperia by Chigi, Margherita, is not documented and is doubted by experts.

Artistic inspiration

Imperia, as well as literary figures that were later attributed to it, served as models for various works of art:

  • Raphael is said to have given the depiction of Sappho in the Vatican Palace, which he created, the features of Imperia. Imperia was also the model for the painting “Triumph of Galatea” in the Villa Farnesina , as well as for the left one by the Sibyls in the Capella Chigi in the Santa Maria della Pace
  • The contemporary poet Matteo Bandello portrayed her in a novella.
  • Honoré de Balzac described a courtesan named Imperia in his story La belle Impéria in 1832 . Since the story takes place during the Council of Constance , about 100 years before Imperia's death, this literary figure has nothing in common with the historical person other than name and profession.
  • Based on Balzac's story, the painting The Beautiful Woman Imperia by Lovis Corinth (1925) and the Imperia statue in the port of Constance (1993) were created.
  • The Imperia material was used in an Italian television film from 2005 with the actress Manuela Arcuri in the lead role.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Franca Petrucci:  Cognati, Imperia. In: Alberto M. Ghisalberti (Ed.): Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani (DBI). Volume 26:  Cironi-Collegno. Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, Rome 1982.
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g Antonius Lux (ed.): Great women of world history. A thousand biographies in words and pictures . Sebastian Lux Verlag , Munich 1963, p. 239
  3. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Duncan Salkeld: Shakespeare Among the Courtesans: Prostitution, Literature and Drama, 1500–1650 , 2012
  4. ↑ a b c d e La Repubblica: La Divina Imperia cortigiana e musa della corte papalina (it.)
  5. ↑ D. Gnoli: L'Epitaffio e il monument d'Imperia cortigiana romana . In: Nuova Antologia , June 1, 1906, pp. 469-476
  6. ↑ a b Der Spiegel, edition 45/1995: Simply babelhaft
  7. ^ Claudio Rendina - Cardinali e Cortigiane.
  8. ↑ Gaia Servadio: Renaissance Woman.
personal data
SURNAME Cognati, Imperia
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Cugnati, Imperia de; Imperia La Divina; Paris, Imperia de; Cognati, Imperia di Pietro
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Roman courtesan
DATE OF BIRTH August 3, 1486
PLACE OF BIRTH Rome
DATE OF DEATH August 15, 1512
Place of death Rome