Costigliole 1862 - 1867

Here we have "Costigliole," a photograph by Pierre-Louis Pierson. Pierson was known for his portraits of Virginia Oldoini, the Countess of Castiglione, a prominent figure in the French court and notorious for her beauty and extravagant lifestyle. In this hand-colored portrait, the countess is depicted in elaborate costume, seated with an air of aristocratic poise. The visual construction of her identity through clothing and pose speaks volumes about the performance of femininity and power in the 19th century. What strikes me is how Pierson and Castiglione used photography to craft and control her public image, challenging traditional notions of female representation. She was not merely a passive subject, but an active collaborator, using the relatively new medium of photography to assert her own narrative. The photograph exists as both a personal portrait and a statement about the Countess’s identity, reflecting broader social and political currents of the time.