The most beautiful snake in the terrestrial paradise

The sound of the pearls falling to the ground filled the room. Giovanni* bent down together with the lady whose necklace had broken to collect them.

Their gaze met and Giovanni felt an electric shock driving through his body … it was love on first sight for him.

Luisa Casati
Source: Wikimedia – Luisa Casati

Luisa Casati loved it to underline her beautiful green eyes with black kohl, to drip belladonna in her eyes to widen her pupils (big eyes were very trendy at that time!) and to use false eyelashes.

This look was completed by her white porcelaine like skin (powder!) and her firered lips.

D’Annunzio called her the „Divina Marchesa“, the divine marchesa and Jean Coctreau „the most beautiful snake in the terrestrial paradise“.

Source: Wikimedia – Luisa Casati

Luisa was just eccentric, she loved to live in luxury, to surround herself with artists and to see herself as a piece of art and to stage herself like it. Also in her own home on the Grand Canal  (Ca‘ Venier dei Leoni, today the Guggenheim Museum) where she had a real zoo: A cheetah, albino blackbirds (that she coloured differently according to her mood), apes, parrots, leopards and a boa that she loved to be photographed with – of course wearing the creations of Leon Bakst, designer of the Russian Ballets who created personally Luisa’s wardrobe.

Nightly walks all …

Luisa loved to walk her cheetah by night in Saint Mark’s Square … all naked and only lit up by a torch of one of her servants: Like this everyone could admire her.

This lifestyle though had its cost and so the „divina marchesa“ started to immerse herself in debts. Thus she went to London and found “shelter” at her daughter’s and niece’s place.

Luisa Casati died in 1957.

Ca’ Venier dei Leoni became after the “Divine Marchesa” the home of another eccentric woman, Peggy Guggenheim, the “last Dogaressa”**.

*Boldini

**wife of the Doge

  •   Eine sehr persönliche und interessante Führung, die auch Raum für Fragen gelassen hat. Beatrice kannte sich ausgezeichnet in der Geschichte Venedigs aus und hat es auch für die Kinder toll,... read more

    thumb Karina
    July 22, 2024
  •   Beatrice was just wonderful! She made this tour fun for both adults and kids - and we learned so much! Definitely to be recommended!!

    thumb Tonja
    February 19, 2024
  •   Wer in Venedig einen Blick abseits des Tourismus bzw. den großen Plätzen werfen will, denen kann ich die Tour mit Beatrice wirklich ans Herz legen. Gerade vielleicht am Anfang... read more

    thumb Chalin
    February 10, 2024
  •   Wir hatten sehr kurzfristig und spontan eine Tour mit Beatrice buchen können und waren sehr happy über diesen “Glücksgriff”! Sie hat uns wirklich tolle Ecken gezeigt, sehr viel Interessantes erzählt... read more

    thumb Monique
    August 28, 2023
  •   Vielen Dank für den wunderbaren Nachmittag-wunderbare versteckte Ecken in San Marco gesehen und reichlich Tipps für die nächsten Male bekommen wie Museen,Bars usw.

    thumb Jens
    November 8, 2022
  •   We had a total blast at Beatrices tour. She showed us a lot of hidden corners in Venice and we moved off the beaten track. She was super knowledgable, provided... read more

    thumb Tabea
    October 30, 2022
  •   Beatrice hat uns Venedig auf wundervolle Weise ein Stück näher gebracht. Auch mein Sohn war sehr interessiert dabei. Absolut empfehlenswert!!

    thumb Helena
    October 24, 2022
  •   sehr empfehlenswert !!!

    thumb Joachim
    October 24, 2022
  •   Toll!

    thumb Rebecca
    June 13, 2022
  •   Ich kann Beatrice herzlich empfehlen. Sie liebt Venedig, hat viel Wissen darüber und kann es bestens vermitteln, darüber hinaus in Ecken ohne Touristen.

    thumb Ivana
    June 8, 2022
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