A special exhibition in Turin: the memorabilia of Cavour’s cousin. The event
The National Museum of the Risorgimento participates in Archivissima, the Night of the Archives which is dedicated this year to the “Passions”, with the exhibition of two unique relics belonging to the Countess of Castiglione: the album of photographs, given to her by the diplomat Costantino Nigra and preserved in the historical archives of the museum, and a precious inlaid bracelet recently acquired by the Museum thanks to a private donation, which is exhibited to the public for the first time.
Photo © National Museum of the Italian Risorgimento of Turin
The small exhibition “Passions in the mirror: the Countess of Castiglione and the Nigra album”, set up in the Sala Plebisciti of the Museum from 6 to 30 June, aims to raise awareness of the passion of Virginia Oldoini, Countess of Castiglione, for art of photography: both as self-representation and as an expression of worldly novelty. Collects a selection of shots taken between 1856 and 1857 at the Atelier Mayer & Pierson in Paris, a reference point for the Parisian elite of the Second Empire.
The countess was one of the secret protagonists of the Risorgimento and the process of unification of Italy. She was Cavour’s cousin, she did her best in espionage and diplomacy, and was at the center of the most important events of the time: the Paris Congress of 1856 where Cavour forged alliances with France and England; the second war of independence, which led to the victory of the Franco-Savoy alliance over the Habsburg Empire, and the peace negotiations of the Franco-Prussian war.
Castiglione, considered among the most beautiful women of her era, was secretly entrusted by Cavour and King Vittorio Emmanuele II with the mission of pushing the French emperor Napoleon III to ally himself with the Kingdom of Sardinia. She succeeded by becoming her lover.
The visit to the exhibition of the two relics is included in the museum ticket. For the Night of the Archives, the Museum offers various initiatives. From 6pm to 9pm (last entry at 8pm), extraordinary opening with free entry; at 7.30pm, thematic guided tour (by reservation at the Museum tel. 0115621147); then at 9pm, in the Sala Plebisciti, the meeting “Passions in the mirror: the Countess of Castiglione and the Album Nigra” with Roberto Coaloa, historian and writer, and the video contribution by Benedetta Craveri, literary critic and writer, author in 2021 of the biography “The Countess. Virginia Verasis of Castiglione”. Entrance to the meeting is free while available seats last. Reservation recommended on Eventbrite.
