The most famous courtesans. Courtesans in Venice

Beauties of the 17th-18th century.

Ninon de Lenclos is a famous French courtesan, one of the most charming women and famous women XVII century, although calling her a courtesan is not entirely fair, because She didn’t make a profession out of it and money didn’t play any role for her, she didn’t trade her charms, but gave them to those she liked, and immediately abandoned her lover as soon as she got bored with him. One day Ninon refused Cardinal Richelieu, who offered fifty thousand crowns if she agreed to become his mistress.

“An elegant, superbly built brunette, with a complexion of dazzling whiteness, with a slight blush, with large blue eyes, which simultaneously showed decency, prudence, madness and voluptuousness, with a mouth with delightful teeth and a charming smile, Ninon behaved with nobility, but without pride, with amazing grace." This is how one of her contemporaries described the already thirty-year-old courtesan.
:
Moreover, she remained very attractive until a very old age. Count Choiseul, later Marshal of France, fell in love and began to court Ninon when she was sixty years old, although he was twenty years younger. When Louis 14, the “Sun King,” wanted to see the famous Ninon, he expressed regret that “this amazing woman refused to decorate his court with the brilliance of her irony and gaiety.” Indeed, when the all-powerful favorite Maintenon offered her a place at court, Ninon replied: “At court you have to be two-faced and have a forked tongue, but it’s too late for me to learn hypocrisy... By the way, Ninon can be considered Voltaire’s “godmother.” At her death, she met a ten-year-old boy named Arouet, an aspiring poet, saw talent in him and, in her will, left him 2000 francs to buy books.Voltaire retained the warmest memories of the “beautiful aunt” until the end of his days.

The first two of the presented beauties of the 18th century became famous not only for their extraordinary beauty, but also to some extent influenced foreign policy. The first lived during the Catherine era, the second during the time of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Sofia Witt - Pototskaya.

At the age of 13, this little beggar Greek girl and her sister were sold by her own mother. The elder sister became a concubine, who bought them to the commandant of Kamenets-Podolsky, Joseph Witt, but pretty soon he got bored, then Witt drew attention to Sophia, who had grown up and began to become an extraordinary beauty. But that was not the case; Sophia had not only beauty (and apparently considerable confidence in it), but also character. As a result, the poor tramp became not a concubine, but the wife of first Commandant Witt, and then the noble and fabulously rich Polish gentleman S. Potocki. Between them, she also captivated Field Marshal Saltykov and even His Serene Highness Prince Potemkin with her charms. To some extent, she contributed to the fact that Poland was annexed to Russia, because It was Potocki who depended on the signing of the relevant act. “The cunning fox” Potemkin sent Sophia Witt to Warsaw, practically betting on her, and he was right. Stanislav Pototsky fell madly in love with the beauty and actually chose the latter between the freedom of the Motherland and Sophia. For his beloved woman, Pototsky arranged a park of fantastic beauty, called “Sofievka,” the opening of which was timed to coincide with Sophia’s birthday. The guests were amazed by the luxury. The appearance of the Countess was the main miracle - she appeared in the light of a thousand fireworks, surrounded by "naiads", dressed in a Greek chiton with a diamond diadem on her flowing hair. And in the dark sky the letters S and P burned and sparkled - Sofya Pototskaya.

The Countess did not appreciate such love and soon cheated on her husband with his son, the incorrigible gambler Yuri. The Count did not survive the double betrayal, and Sophia remained rich and free. She broke up with her young lover only when he lost his entire fortune and incurred huge debts. Towards the end of her life, Sophia was involved in business and even charity work. Her life was like an adventure novel, and her death was like a mystical legend. After the earthquake in Uman, the temple where Sophia was buried collapsed and among the ruins a coffin shimmered, apparently brought to the surface by tremors. The people said that the earth does not accept the sinner countess. In the end, Pototskaya’s ashes rested in the village cemetery.

Emma Hamilton is the wife of the English ambassador in Naples, Lord Hamilton, who became solely thanks to her unearthly beauty, since she was of completely ignoble origin. Before meeting Hamilton, Emma was a model and actress (she presented “living pictures” based on works of art) and was very popular; even Goethe was counted among her fans of her art.

Having met the English Admiral Nelson, Emma fell in love with him for the rest of her life, just as he fell in love with her. Being friendly and having some influence on the Queen of Naples, and through her on King Ferdinand, she greatly helped the British fleet in the fight against Napoleon. But after Nelson’s death, she was left with her little daughter without any support and died in poverty. A number of books and films are dedicated to this extraordinary and charming woman, as well as a song performed by A. Malinin.

The romantic and at the same time tragic image of Lady Hamilton in the film of the same name was created by one of the most beautiful actresses- Vivien Leigh.

Princess Maria Cantemir is the daughter of the Moldavian ruler Dmitry Cantemir, the sister of the poet Antioch Cantemir and last love Peter 1.

She spent her childhood years in Istanbul, where her father, according to a long-standing tradition, was actually held hostage by the Turkish Sultan. Nevertheless, Maria received an excellent education for those times: She studied ancient Greek, Latin, Italian, the basics of mathematics, astronomy, rhetoric, philosophy, was interested in ancient and Western European literature and history, drawing, music. At the end of 1710 the family returned to Russia. Maria first met Peter 1 in her father’s house, on an estate near Moscow. After moving to St. Petersburg, she became the tsar’s mistress, which was not prevented by her father, who dreamed of becoming related to the sovereign and with his help freeing Moldavia from the Ottoman yoke. And Peter 1 wanted to get an heir from Mary, which Queen Catherine could not allow, who did everything possible to prevent this child from being born. After the birth of a stillborn boy, Maria and her father left for their Oryol estate, where the ruler soon died. And soon Peter 1 also passed away. Most recently, a film about the love of the emperor and the Moldavian princess was shown on central television, in which the image of Mary was recreated by Elizaveta Boyarskaya.

Alexandra Petrovna Struyskaya (nee Ozerova) - her unearthly features are conveyed in the portrait by F. Rokotov. Most likely, the portrait, or rather paired portraits of the newlyweds, were commissioned from the artist immediately after the Struyskys’ wedding, which means Alexandra Petrovna is about 18 years old in it.

Struyskaya’s portrait inspired the poet Nikolai Zabolotsky to write one of his best poems, “Love painting, poets.”
... Do you remember how, from the darkness of the past,
Barely wrapped in satin,
From Rokotov's portrait again
Was Struyskaya looking at us?
Her eyes are like two fogs,
Half smile, half cry,
Her eyes are like two deceptions,
Failures covered in darkness...
When darkness comes
And the storm is approaching
From the bottom of my soul they flicker
Her beautiful eyes.

Madame Recamier (Julie Bernard) is undoubtedly the most beautiful woman in France during the French Revolution, born in 1777 to a minor official and his beautiful wife. When the girl was not yet 16 years old, she married banker Jacques Recamier, who was 26 years older than her. Relations between the spouses were rather friendly; Recamier gave his young wife complete freedom, which she used quite wisely. Received as a gift from my husband beautiful house in Paris, she organized her own salon, which soon became very popular.

Julie's charm, intelligence and political views attracted many famous people to her salon. One of his contemporaries, Mr. Lemonnier, wrote about her this way: “Madame Recamier never wears diamonds, her dress of exquisite simplicity does not allow anything other than pearls... Her beauty has the peculiarity that it is more attractive than blinding at first sight. The more you see her, the more beautiful you find her.” Julie had amazing grace, a special internal musical rhythm, and without a doubt her beauty had no equal in Europe. According to the fashion of that time, she wore transparent dresses that did not hide her impeccable forms, reminiscent of an antique statue. But appearance is not the main reason why her salon for several decades was one of the main literary, political, and intellectual centers of France, and perhaps all of Europe. She had not only beauty and charm, but also an amazing talent for attracting extraordinary personalities. In different years, the most famous people of that era entered her salon: the scientist Andre-Marie Ampère, Eugenie Beauharnais, Bernadotte - the future king of Sweden, writers Prosper Marime and Stendhal, artists J-L. David and Eugene Delacroix. It was the color French art and sciences, names included in world culture, Madame Recamier managed to unite them all.
She makes friends, among them Honore de Balzac and Victor Hugo, as well as the famous Madame de Stael, with whom Juliette was later associated long years friendship. Julie's amazing beauty attracted many fans to her, incl. Prince Augustus of Prussia. The prince fell in love with Juliette, and this was the man in response to whose love her heart began to beat faster for the first time. Prince Augustus wanted to marry Julie, she also wanted this, but she could not break with her husband, feeling sorry for him, who had already become old and almost a beggar.
In 1803, Napoleon expels Madame de Stael from Paris, and Juliette openly goes into opposition to the authorities: “A man who expels such a woman ... cannot be, in my opinion, anything other than a ruthless despot. From now on, my whole being is against him.”
Fouche, one of her then friends, was very eager to introduce her to the court and even hinted to Madame Recamier about the possibility of a more intimate relationship between her and the emperor. The beautiful Julie proudly rejected such a prospect. But her charm is so great that even Napoleon’s court artist J.L. David could not resist painting a portrait of the woman who entered the French history irreconcilable opponent of Napoleon Bonaparte. His most famous “Portrait of Madame Recamier” is now in the Louvre. Later she inspired another great artist, François Gerard, and then the sculptor, Mr. Shinard, who created a beautiful bust of Madame Recamier.
In 1811, Bonaparte expelled Madame Recamier from Paris. In 1813, in Italy, she became close friends with Queen Hortense and Caroline Murat, and in Rome her French salon had the same attractive power as in Paris. Among his visitors here were Balanche and the sculptor Canova, who made her bust, which he later remade into Dante's Beatrice.
When Julie turned 40, she suddenly forgot about her principle of building her relationships with men on the basis of only friendship and fell in love, passionately and for a long time. It was famous writer Rene Chateaubriand.
. “Beauty, unparalleled in Europe, tarnished honor and noble character - what other wealth is needed in this sad life“These are Madame de Stael’s words about her. Much later, another famous woman, Anna Akhmatova, would write: “And again Madame Recamier is good and Goethe is like Werther as a youth.”

And the name of Madame Recamier began to be called the type of couch on which she lies on famous painting Jacques Louis David.

If you love courtesans, then choose an inexpensive hostel in Moscow, and be prepared to spend all your money on such enchantresses. So saving on housing would be the best option.

1. Phryne (IV century BC)

The girl's real name was Mnesaret (meaning "virtue" in Greek), but because she was born with a sallow complexion, everyone called her Phryne ("toad"). However, this did not stop her from becoming the most successful and popular courtesan in Ancient Greece. Presumably, it was she who posed for Praxiteles’ sculpture “Aphrodite of Cnidus,” one of the most famous works of ancient art.

Phryne became incredibly wealthy through connections with powerful men in Athens. According to legend, she even offered money to rebuild the city of Thebes, destroyed by Alexander the Great in 336 BC, but on one condition: on its new walls there had to be an inscription: “Destroyed by Alexander the Great, restored by Hera Phryne.” Naturally, no one agreed to accept her offer.

Around 340 BC, Phryne was accused of insulting the gods after she appeared naked at a religious ceremony. At the trial, the orator Chiiperides, her defender and one of her concurrent lovers, tore off Phryne’s robe with the words that the most beautiful woman in Athens cannot be outside the mercy of the gods. This was enough for the judges to acquit Phryne.

2. Theodora (497-548)

Theodora's father died when she was still little, so her mother sent the girl to work, first as a circus actress, and then as a courtesan.

Theodora became the mistress of a politician named Hekebol. After some time, she attracted the attention of Justinian I, the emperor's nephew. Justinian was so captivated by Theodora's charm that he wanted to marry her, but Byzantine law prohibited members of the imperial family from marrying commoners (and even more so, courtesans). His uncle was forced to change the law, and Justinian and Theodora were soon married.

Justinian ascended the throne in 527 and ruled Byzantium (also known as the Eastern Roman Empire) along with his wife. Theodora turned out to be a talented politician - she helped create a new set of laws to combat corruption, expanded women's rights, in particular to divorce, banned brothels and founded monasteries for former courtesans. She ruled the Byzantine Empire for more than 20 years. Historians consider her the most influential and powerful woman in the thousand-year history of Byzantium.

3. Veronica Franco (1546-1591)

Veronica Franco was the daughter of the popular Venetian courtesan Paola Vanozza Fracassa. She studied Greek and Roman literature and played the lute. After divorcing her husband, a doctor by profession, Veronica had love relationship with many famous politicians, artists, philosophers and poets. She described her sexual adventures in the book “Familiar Letters” (1580), which was a collection of 50 letters dedicated to her lovers, including the King of France Henry III and the Venetian painter Jacopo Tintoretto.

In 1575, Veronica Franco was forced to leave Venice. Two years later, she returned to her hometown to find that her home and wealth had been plundered. In 1580, the Roman inquisitorial court accused Veronica of immorality and witchcraft. The courtesan was helped to avoid punishment by her fiery defensive speech and a wealthy patron named Dominico Nenier. She lost former glory and lived out the rest of her days in an urban area populated by impoverished prostitutes.

4. Nell Gwyn (1650-1687)

Elinor "Nell" Gwyn was born in Hereford. Later, her family moved to London, where a difficult fate awaited the girl. Elinor's father left the family when she was still a child. Her mother, drunk, drowned herself in a pond. Nell, in order to somehow survive, began selling oranges. When she turned 15, she got a job as an actress in the theater. The roles were written for her by the famous playwright John Dryden. On stage she showed amazing comedic talent. Along with fame, rich men also appeared in Nell's life. She became a courtesan. Gwyn lived with members of the English nobility, including Charles Sackville, sixth Earl of Dorset, and King Charles II of England and Scotland, whose mistress she was for 15 years (from 1670 until his death). They had two sons. Charles II built a mansion for her near Windsor Castle. On his deathbed, the king begged his brother, James II, "not to let poor Nell starve." He fulfilled his request. He supported Elinor Gwyn and her children until his death.

5. Cora Pearl (1835-1886)

Emma Crouch was born in Plymouth (England). Her father was a musician and a great womanizer, who, leaving his family, went to live in America. At the age of twenty, Emma got a job as a milliner, but she did not have enough money, and she decided to simultaneously engage in prostitution. Soon the girl met Robert Bignell, the owner of the dance hall, and became his mistress. He took Emma with him to Paris, where she was captivated by the bohemian atmosphere of the 19th century. When Bignell asked her to return to England, she refused. Emma did not want to leave France. She changed her name to Cora Pearl and became the capital's most famous courtesan.

Among Cora Pearl's lovers there were many famous personalities, including the French statesman Charles de Morny, half-brother of Napoleon III, and the Prince of Orange, heir to the throne of the Netherlands, who gave her black pearl beads, which she never parted with.

Pearl was famous for her eccentric antics. When Bertie (Prince Edward VII of Wales) wanted to look at her, she asked the waiters to carry her out naked on a large silver platter and serve her as such. Emma sometimes liked to soak in a bathtub filled with champagne in front of guests. Pearl was expelled from France after a murder took place in one of her mansions. She spent the rest of her days in poverty, living in a boarding house. Emma died at the age of 51 from stomach cancer.

6. Madame de Pompadour (1721-1764)

Jeanne Antoinette Poisson was born into the family of a discredited caterer and an ordinary courtesan. When the girl was nine years old, her mother took her to a fortune teller, who said that she would grow up and become the king’s mistress. No one took the fortuneteller’s words seriously, but they soon came true. In 1745, Jeanne Antoinette was invited to a costume ball at the Palace of Versailles. She dressed as a shepherdess, and King Louis XV dressed as a tree. That's how they met. And literally a month later Poisson was already his mistress.

Louis XV gave Jeanne Antoinette the title of Marquise de Pompadour. The king doted on her, and Madame de Pompadour spent fortunes on jewelry, art and porcelain. She also became one of Louis XV's advisers on foreign affairs. On her instructions, the king began the Seven Years' War with England, which ended in the defeat of France. The people blamed Jeanne Antoinette for the famine and devastation, but Louis XV remained faithful to her. She died in 1764.

7. Mata Hari (1876-1917)

When Margaretha Gertrude Zelle McLeod turned 18, she married a Dutch colonial army officer twice her age and moved with him to the Netherlands East Indies. They had two children, but this marriage did not work out from the very beginning: Margareta loved the attention of men, and he loved alcohol. Eventually they divorced. Having no money to support herself and not knowing how to do anything, Margareta decided to become a dancer, and then a prostitute. In 1902, she moved to Paris, where she gained fame as an exotic dancer and a new name - Mata Hari. She also performed in a cabaret, entertaining its visitors with explicit striptease. Among her first Parisian lovers was the wealthy industrialist Emile-Etienne Guimet.

On February 13, 1917, Mata Hari was arrested by French intelligence on charges of spying for the enemy, Germany. The court sentenced her to death, and nine months later she was shot. The classified dossier containing documents on the Mata Hari case will be opened only in 2017, as ordered by law a hundred years ago.

8. Josephine Marcus (1861-1944)

When Josephine Marcus turned 18, she decided to run away from home to join a traveling theater troupe as a dancer. During the tour, the girl began an affair with a deputy sheriff in Arizona, Johnny Behan. Soon she decided to move to the city of Tombstone. Here she began to earn a living by prostitution.

In the early 1920s, Josephine met the famous gambler and lawman Wyatt Earp, who lived in a civil marriage with Mattie Blaylock. The woman suffered from an addiction to opium, which in those days was used to treat headaches, so it was not difficult for Josephine to take her husband away from her. In 1882, Marcus adopted the surname "Earp", although there is no evidence that she married Mattie. Together with him, Josephine went on a trip to the West, where they gambled, searched for gold and silver, managed several saloons and took part in equestrian competitions.

Josephine died in 1944. Her body was cremated and her ashes scattered near Colma, California.

Material prepared by Rosemarina - based on an article from neatorama.com

P.S. My name is Alexander. This is my personal, independent project. I am very glad if you liked the article. Want to help the site? Just look at the advertisement below for what you were recently looking for.

Copyright site © - This news belongs to the site, and is the intellectual property of the blog, is protected by copyright law and cannot be used anywhere without an active link to the source. Read more - "about Authorship"

Is this what you were looking for? Perhaps this is something you couldn’t find for so long?

In an 18th-century letter that has come down to us, a French traveler tells a friend with amazement that “Italian courtesans wear little panties under their skirts.” It is significant that this item of clothing is found specifically among courtesans - pantaloons for a long time were considered extremely indecent, as they meant the usurpation of a male item of clothing. Who are they? We know a lot from films and books, here’s a little more about “honest” and “dishonest” courtesans and their life and clothing.
In the 15th century, aesthetic prostitution was widespread in Italy, which, according to the Count, represented a revival of the prostitution of Ancient Greece. Prostitutes of this class, unlike ordinary ones, were called "Meretrices honestae". They were different in general highly educated and rotated in higher spheres society: among artists, dignitaries, princes, etc. In the Count we find the following description of some of them: the famous Imperia learned the art of composing poetry from Nicolo Compono, nicknamed "Lo Strascino", and was fluent in Latin. Lucrezia, nicknamed “Madrema non vuote,” could serve as a model of correct and elegant language, and Aretino says the following about her through the mouth of the famous playmaker Ludovico in one of his Ragionamenti: “She could be called Cicero: she knows everything Petrarch and Boccaccio by heart and a mass of poems from Virgil, Horace, Ovid and many other authors." Lucrezia Squarcia, a Venetian by birth, mentioned in the famous Tariffa, could often be seen at festivities with the works of Petrarch, Virgil and Homer in her hands: Recando spesso il Petrachetto in mano, Di Virgilio le carte ed or d'Omero.
The names of Tullia d'Aragona and Veronica Franco are known in the history of literature, and Camilla Pisana wrote a book edited by Francis del Nero. Her letters that have reached us are distinguished by a slightly pretentious style, but not without grace; they contain many Latinisms and even entire Latin expressions .Speaking about the famous Isabella de Luna, a Spaniard who traveled half the world, Bandello notes that she was considered the most intelligent and dexterous woman in Rome. Aristocrats and writers not only did not hide their connections with the most famous courtesans, but even boasted about them, and everyone sought achieve more attention from them than his rivals. The famous commander Giovanni Medici ordered Lucrezia (“Madrema non voule”) to be forcibly taken away from Giovanni del Stufa, who was giving a feast in her honor in Recanati.In 1531, six knights challenged everyone in Florence to a duel Who would not want to recognize Tullia d'Aragon as the most respectable and admirable woman in the world. When such Aspasia changed her place of residence, they talked about her as much as about the arrival and departure of the queen. The envoys even informed their courts about this

At the end of the 15th century in Rome, in connection with the reform of the papal office, various circles appeared where cultural, philosophical and poetic thinking was discussed. To dispel the overly learned atmosphere, men need sorority high class. There was no question of ladies from the highest strata of the Roman nobility, so the choice was made of free women cohabiting with unmarried members of the curia, the most beautiful and educated were selected from them.

In addition to cultural communication, they fulfilled their direct duties as prostitutes and received privileged social status Cortegiana, hoc est meretrix honesta (cortigiana, ovvero prostituta onesta) or “honest” courtesan. Honesty in this case has nothing to do with chastity, but means a bourgeois lifestyle, culture and good manners.

Thus, “honest” courtesans at the end of the 15th century, thanks to the generous gifts of their patrons, became owners of real estate, bask in luxury, and, like the most sophisticated princesses, held daily receptions. The craft of courtesans is so profitable that mothers are often willing to spend a lot of money to educate their daughters, hoping to see their child under the “tutelage” of a noble nobleman.

Indeed, some representatives of this profession led such a luxurious lifestyle in their magnificent palaces that at one of these receptions the Spanish ambassador, forced to spit, chose to do it in the face of his servant, so as not to spoil the wonderful carpets of the owner of the house.

Of course, not all “honest” courtesans owned such palaces, but many of them still had well-appointed homes. This is evidenced by the decree of the Venetian Senate of 1542, in which prostitutes were forbidden to decorate the interiors of their rooms with thin silk fabrics; they were allowed to use only ordinary fabrics woven in the cities of Bergamo or Brescia.

In fact, this decree will remain a dead stone; in Venice and Rome, the houses of “honest” courtesans continue to burst with luxury: satin upholstery, painted furniture, silk canopies over the bed with erotic frescoes on the ceiling. In Venice, priestesses of love, in addition to cats and dogs, loved to keep overseas monkeys and exotic birds.

As a rule, “honest” courtesans plied their trade under the tutelage of some aunt, mother, or old prostitute posing as a mother (although cases when courtesans lived alone are not excluded). Many prostitutes who did not have children of their own adopted little girls, gradually teaching them their craft, thereby providing monetary income in their old age.

To understand who were called courtesans, just read the official document of Venice from 1542. It emphasizes that everyone is considered a prostitute unmarried women having an intimate relationship with one or more men, as well as married women who do not live with their husband, but live separately and have intimate relationships with one or more men.
Low-ranking courtesans

The second, less fortunate category includes courtesans of the lower classes, they are more numerous. Some of them, in one way or another, failed to become “honest” courtesans, while others, having once received a high fate, slipped to the bottom of life.

Some women ended up in brothels located in the seedy quarters of Rome, where poor and rude clients awaited them. In addition, prostitutes were obliged to give part of the proceeds to the so-called captain. The captain, with the permission of the papal office, collected a tax from each courtesan, 2 carlini per month, in addition to this he was the owner of a free gambling house and hotel.

Other courtesans worked in therapeutic salons - stufe. The fashion for such establishments came in the 15th century from Northern Europe; at first they actually treated various diseases, but then they turned into a kind of brothel. Soon stufe could be seen in all Roman quarters. They say that Raphael himself was the owner of one of these rooms, and Michelangelo was an avid visitor to such places in order to improve his technique of depicting naked bodies.

Many clients were treated at the stufe with massages from impromptu doctors and surgeons, but their main desire was to meet the courtesans. Many of these establishments were run by former prostitutes; in the 16th century, stufe turned into underground gambling houses and real brothels - lupanari, where courtesans were obliged to give part of their earnings to the owner of the establishment.

Attitude towards courtesans

The authorities, on the one hand, persecuted courtesans, and on the other, demanded and encouraged similar kind activities. What was the nature of this behavior?

The fact is that the male population was much larger than the female population; it needed courtesans to discharge themselves sexually without the help of respected ladies. The role of courtesans was to preserve the family unit. The English traveler Thomas Coryat writes in the 17th century that the Republic of Venice opened a free path to prostitution in order to preserve the benefactor of wives and the honor of husbands.

At the end of the 15th and beginning of the 16th centuries, an unusual decree was issued in Venice, which stated that prostitutes living in special quarters were required to sit in front of the windows, hanging their legs out and exposing their breasts, in order to more strongly attract men to themselves, thereby protecting them from homosexual acts. connections. A document that has survived to this day confirms that in the Venetian Republic of the 15th-16th centuries, the spread of homosexuality became too widespread, especially among intellectuals and religious dignitaries, so that many prostitutes were left without their inveterate clients.

On the other hand, prostitution has always been a profitable activity for the city, and city authorities knew how to profit from it. In 1549, under Pope Paolo III, for the reconstruction of the bridge over the Tiber, a tax of 1 giulio (a silver coin under Pope Giulio II) was imposed on Roman courtesans for each scudo paid for renting housing.

In Venice, ordinary and extraordinary taxes were also introduced for prostitutes. Since 1413, based on a Senate decree Venetian Republic The University of Padova has the right to collect taxes from public toilets and from courtesans, using the money for the needs of the university. In 1514 in Venice, in connection with the construction of the Arsenal, local courtesans were subject to a heavy tax.

Prostitutes received payment from passing foreigners, then invested capital in local banks (courtesans were favorite clients of banks), thereby encouraging the local economy.

Body and appearance care

Courtesans spent a lot of time caring for their bodies, and in this they were in no way behind the ladies of high society. Some writers of the Renaissance period claim that priestesses of love are more neat and well-groomed than women from polite society. From their stories, which have survived to our time, one can learn how “honest” courtesans looked after themselves.

Early in the morning, before getting out of bed, the courtesan uses a napkin to remove the plaque that has formed overnight from her teeth, and then rinses her mouth several times. clean water. Then she washes the entire body with water and a decoction of aromatic herbs; this procedure is usually repeated several times a day. Then the maids dry their mistress with a linen towel, give her a manicure and pedicure, and spray her with perfume and incense.

Cosmetics are used throughout. Courtesans with good taste, they used blush in limited quantities, only to hide the excessive pallor that appeared after a sleepless night of love or a slight malaise.

Artists of that time depicted angels, madonnas and portraits of angelic ladies with blond golden hair, poets also fell in love and sang the praises of golden-haired beauties. Blonde hair is becoming fashionable, especially in Venice, where noble ladies and courtesans resort to the rather labor-intensive method of dyeing their hair in light color, which was called biondo veneziano.

Venetian women sat for hours on the open terraces of their houses under the rays of the scorching sun, lubricating their hair with a special solution. As a rule, in these cases, they wore linen or silk clothes and covered their heads with a wide-brimmed straw hat without a bottom, freeing the hair out, thus escaping the heat.

To prepare such dyes, they often used white wine sediment (wine grounds) mixed with olive oil. This method was considered quite labor-intensive; one had to sit under the sun for hours, periodically combing one's hair with a comb. But already in the 15th century, Caterina Sforza used simpler methods of hair coloring without sunbathing. The new dyes consisted of a mixture of soda and potassium carbonate.

Courtesan clothing

After caring for her body, the courtesan moved on to dressing. Each city had its own fashion, but everywhere, “honest” courtesans and noble ladies from high society were united by the same desire - outfits made from the most expensive and rich fabrics. Often the material was decorated precious stones and gold pendants, sometimes woven together with gold thread in the form of a net to which pearls were attached.

Silk petticoats dyed gold were also used. This, not to mention jewelry, all kinds of necklaces, chains, bracelets, tiaras with large precious stones: diamonds, rubies, pearls, etc. Many “honest” courtesans dressed this way not only in the evening, but also during the day.

Subsequently, during the period of Pope Pio IV and Pope Pio V, a decree was issued prohibiting Roman courtesans from using gold, silver, embroidery, velvet and other expensive materials. Then the women resorted to a trick: they covered themselves with a long cape in the form of a cloak, under which they hid exquisite outfits.

In many other cities similar measures were taken not only in relation to courtesans, but also against women of all classes. This is not due to the morality of the time, but to the desire to avoid unnecessary expenses on excesses, the so-called unproductive waste of money, causing harm to the entire society. In 1558, a similar decree was issued in the city of Pistoia, since the desire to have luxurious clothes led to the fact that girls from good families stopped getting married, because their families were not able to guarantee a dowry with an expensive wardrobe.

Often, the fathers and brothers of marriageable girls, in order to provide them with a husband, fell into ruin.

The clothes of “honest” courtesans are so similar to the outfits of ladies of high society that it is sometimes difficult to determine by eye who is who. Therefore, in Florence, a medieval law was reintroduced, obliging courtesans to use identification marks, the law also applied to Jews and lepers. In 1546, Cosimo I ordered prostitutes to cover their faces with a yellow veil or attach a finger-width yellow bow to their clothing (in a visible place). In 1562, the veil was replaced by a beret.

In 1535, a law was passed in Venice obliging all citizens to lead a more modest lifestyle. A list of permitted jewelry was published: caps made of gold or silver threads, costing no more than 10 ducati; rings; only one string of pearls, by permission of the Venetian authorities, no more expensive than 200 ducati - allowed to be worn only around the neck; one gold chain or rosario, not more than 40 ducati. The jewelry listed above is already a whole capital in itself, so one can only guess what wealth the inhabitants of Venice owned in that period.

One English traveler, passing through Venice, describes married women seen in the city. He writes that the ladies' dresses are reinforced with whalebone on the front and back. The blond hair of the Venetian women is laid in thick braids over the head in the form of peculiar horns, without any support; from behind, a black veil falls over the shoulders, covering neither the hair, nor the shoulders, nor the breasts, which are open almost to the stomach. Women seem taller than men, because they wear shoes on a very high platform (50 cm), so two maids walk next to the mistress, the lady leans on one when walking, the other carries her train. Young and elderly ladies move with an unsteady gait, showing their bare breasts to everyone they meet.

Then comes a new fashion, which many women are crazy about, both courtesans and ladies of noble families, as well as ministers of the church. This fashion consists of wearing men's clothing, so it is not difficult to guess that such freedom was immediately prohibited by local authorities and the church. True, the Venetian courtesans started a rumor that only those who did not have enough money for luxurious women's toilets wore men's clothing.

Lower-ranking courtesans, of course, did not wear such expensive outfits, but they also used silk fabrics, gold bracelets, silver chains and thin silk stockings.

Morning activities

Having washed, put on makeup, combed her hair and dressed, the courtesan finally begins her long working day. Most often, she takes a walk through the streets of the city, accompanied by fans who, trying to predict her desires, shower the beauty with gifts.

During the holidays, some courtesans, still with the same retinue, visit the church, thereby causing protests from the local population and city authorities.

While in the temple, they continue to behave as if nothing had happened, hugging, giggling with gentlemen, shouting obscenities and using inappropriate gestures, as if this was not a church, but a carnival procession.

In Venice, for example, prostitutes could not visit churches and other holy places, at least during religious ceremonies and processions.

But not all courtesans behaved this way; some of them modestly prayed in church, away from honest women, fasted on Saturdays, and ended their day with prayer.

Afternoon

The courtesan usually dined alone or in a close family circle. As a rule, lunch was modest and quick. Then came the time for visits; in this case, the woman herself visited one of the noble nobles, although much more often she received her in her home. The position of the guests changes, depending on the position of the courtesan in high society.

Some of them attracted more young people, then young people could often be seen in their house, while others were of interest to older lovers, in which case they were the ones who entered her house. There were courtesans for every taste, for employees of the papal office, for merchants, for the military, etc.

Only the salons of famous courtesans, such as Imperia, Madrema-non-vuole, Tullia, d'Aragona, Gaspara Stampa, Veronica Franco and some others, were visited by famous artists, poets, representatives of local authorities and foreign nobles. With the exception of important guests whom the courtesan received in a separate boudoir, everyone else was invited to the general salon.
Madrema-non-vuole loved to sit on a high throne, seating those present on soft pillows at her feet. The guests were mixed with courtesans, who periodically changed places, smiling and giving promising glances and kisses. To arouse jealousy among her fans, the mistress of the house often retired for a short time with one of the guests to her bedroom.

In the highest salons a lot was said about literature, poetry and art. Imperia herself read books in Latin and wrote poetry. Madrema-non-vuole was so masterful of the art of communication that she was compared to Cicerone, she knew by heart all Petrarca and Boccaccio and great amount poems in Latin. Gaspara Stampa and Veronica Franco were recognized as talented poets in Venice. Visitors to such salons left references to courtesans in their literary works.

Nightlife

During the Renaissance there was quite a bit of public public entertainment, usually carnival or religious processions, sometimes celebrations in honor of distinguished guests. Young and educated people had no great desire to spend dreary evenings in the family circle with wives who could not put two words together.

Such monotony becomes a real manna for courtesans; their salons are full of people who want to have fun. After dinner, there were usually games or dances, not always innocent, as evidenced by some Venetian decrees prohibiting such entertainment.

Gambling was real passion, both among the poor and among the upper classes. Playing chess and cards was very popular; sometimes fights between players lasted for days. Often, courtesans skillfully controlled the course of gambling, deceiving their guests and shamelessly extracting money from them. In 1540, an underground gambling house was opened in the house of two Roman courtesans, which was visited by prominent nobles and even noble women.

Dinner in the courtesan's house, as a rule, was paid for by her lovers; it consisted of five courses, but sometimes reached twenty. Expensive wines were served on the table, different varieties wild and garden lettuce, a huge amount of game. On this occasion, the shooting of pheasants and other wild birds was even prohibited, but as often happens, the law remained only on paper. In Venice, the consumption of partridges, pheasants, peacocks, pigeons, wild roosters, oysters, champignon mushrooms and marzipan was prohibited.

Over dinner, games and dancing, the evening dragged on. When all the guests began to leave, but the courtesan’s day did not end there, she still needed to satisfy the desire of her lover or the one to whom she promised to spend a night of love in her arms.

The art of "pulling" money

The admirers who visited the courtesan's house were a very important source of money for her, but even more income was brought in by the so-called accredited lovers or applicants for this title. To extract money, courtesans resorted to a variety of tricks. Here are some of them.

The courtesan left the bedroom every night under the pretext of insomnia, leaving her jealous lover alone. Then she, with the assistance of assistants, purchased partridges and pheasants, and one fine day during lunch with her patron, a fake messenger suddenly appeared with gifts from the Spanish ambassador (pheasants and partridges). The courtesan began to refuse unsolicited gifts, the messenger insisted on his own. The lover was burning with jealousy.

Then, during dinner, young men with swords (accomplices of the mistress of the house) appeared at the door and, explaining themselves in broken Spanish, announced that the Spanish ambassador himself would arrive on a visit. They demanded that the gates be opened. The courtesan begged to be left alone, swearing eternal love to her lover, who is present during all this comedy. Uninvited guests threatened to kill the happy owner of a faithful and loving woman. In the lover’s soul, jealousy was mixed with fear and joy that he was preferred to the Spanish ambassador himself. The result of the performance was that the lover doubled his daily offerings.

Another classic example consisted in the fact that the courtesan began to pretend to be sick. In the presence of her patron, she seemed to lose her appetite, she felt sick, dizziness appeared, and when she was alone, she ate for two. Finally, the courtesan’s mother “discovered” that the young woman was pregnant, and the corrupt doctor confirmed the diagnosis. A happy lover, who had long dreamed of a child, began to look for godparents, a wet nurse and everything necessary for the newborn. The future father himself spoon-feeds his mistress, helps her sit down and get up, and showers her with gifts. This continues until the courtesan decides to end the comedy, then she pretends to have fallen, and they bring it to the poor lover in a jar with warm water lamb embryo.

Courtesans easily fleece young people to the skin, who often end up in prison because of debts, and old impotents agree to pay for endless dinners and banquets, content only with the light caresses of the priestesses of love.

The victims of courtesans were not only their fans and patrons, but also local artel workers and businessmen, especially if they were not in conspiracy with prostitutes and did not, in turn, deceive careless lovers.

Sexually transmitted diseases

One of the most dangerous venereal diseases of that time was syphilis, which in just a few years spread throughout Europe, indiscriminately between the lower and upper classes. Prostitution further contributed to this phenomenon. In Italy, this disease was called the French disease - mal francese, and in Spain and France, the Neapolitan disease - mal napoletano.

The first outbreaks of syphilis appeared in Naples in 1495, after the arrival of the French army there. The symptoms of the then unknown disease resemble the plague, this contributes to even greater confusion; from the end of the 15th century to the beginning of the 16th century, syphilis claims countless victims.

The first victims of syphilis are courtesans, who are also the main spreaders of the dangerous disease. Unlike patients from wealthy respected families, who have the opportunity to resort to treatment by famous doctors or simply leave high society, hiding from prying eyes in their luxurious palaces, prostitutes are sentenced to severe physical and moral suffering. Sick courtesans are completely excluded from public life, they are doomed to lose all clients and complete ruin.

Due to the wide scale of the disease, thanks to the donations and charity of city authorities and wealthy members of society, the first shelters for patients with syphilis are opened. So, in 1522 in Venice, under the leadership of two ladies from high society and the support of Doge, the Hospital for the terminally ill - l "Ospedale degli Incurabili, with 80 beds - was opened. This, of course, is a drop in the ocean, so a huge number of patients can be seen throughout the city, on the roadsides, on the steps of churches.

Before descending to such a state, courtesans try in every possible way to disguise their illness in order to continue their profitable craft. Unable to turn to doctors, these women often resort to the help of all sorts of charlatans offering “miracle” remedies against the disease. First of all, these are expensive aromatic essences that soften the smell of the disease (abscesses, pus, etc.), but have nothing to do with the treatment of syphilis.

Mercury-based detergents are very popular among courtesans. But since the dosage of mercury was selected by eye, without medical supervision, such shampoos did more harm than good, not to mention their high cost. Due to the uncontrolled use of mercury, which eliminated the primary signs of the disease, unwanted side effects often appeared, such as hair and teeth loss.

Some courtesans who use expensive medicine brought from America in 1515 - 1520 manage to avoid a similar fate. This is a decoction of the so-called holy tree; crosses made from this wood are sold as miraculous. In 1530, the disease began to decline, although the courtesans would suffer for a long time, still deceived by charlatans and improvised doctors.

Courtesans and religion

Courtesans were not allowed to be in the church together with ladies from respectable families; separate places were reserved for prostitutes, and, starting from the 16th century, separate services were held.

At the beginning of the 16th century, the monastery of Santa Caterina di Cordai opened, where the daughters of courtesans aged eight to twelve were sent, sometimes by force, where they were taught Christian teaching for seven years. Then the girls could get married or become nuns; it should be noted that the dowry for those who decided to devote themselves to the church was twice as much as for those who wanted to get married.

The courtesans themselves were not forgotten, in order to convert them to Christianity, a monastery was also opened, but since there are not so many prostitutes who want it, the monastery begins to accept newlywed wives who are allowed to leave their husbands for some reason. In 1563, Pope Pio IV opened another monastery for the same courtesans who converted to the Catholic faith. They could stay there until they got married or took vows as nuns.

In 1556, 82 conversions to Catholicism were registered among courtesans, however, many women did not intend to become nuns at all, they preferred to get married as soon as possible, often this was only an excuse to continue their previous profession. Who married former courtesans? Usually these were poor people coveting a dowry or prisoners who, according to ancient custom, received complete freedom by marrying a courtesan.

Often, parents sent their daughters to a monastery to save an inheritance for their son or to collect a rich dowry for their eldest daughter. Such girls entered there without desire and were very far from God. And if we add the courtesans who became nuns, but did not forget their previous activities, then one can only imagine what sometimes happened in these holy places.

But, as everyone knows, the fish rots from the head, so the church hierarchy itself was not without sin and often set negative examples, as evidenced by the events in Venice, or rather in the monastery delle Convertite, a description of which has survived to this day in a letter from 1551.

The letter says that the confessor of the monastery, for 19 years, satisfied his sexual needs with nuns, the number of which was 400, almost all of them were beautiful and young girls. Having learned secret desires, thoughts and sinful impulses in confession, he punished and subjugated all the nuns there to his will. If any girl became pregnant, he personally saw to it that an abortion was performed and the fruit of sinful love was destroyed. In the summer, the priest forced the most beautiful nuns to strip naked and wash in his presence. In addition, he embezzled all church money. After denunciations of escaped nuns, the confessor was exposed and sentenced to death. His head was cut off and his corpse was burned.

Courtesans in Rome

After the Medici were expelled from Florence in 1494, thanks to the patronage of Pope Alessandro VI Borgia and his followers Pope Giulio II (1503 - 1513) and Pope Leone X (1513 - 1521), Rome became the most brilliant center of the Italian Renaissance.

Not only artists and sculptors of the time, such as Michelangelo, Raffaello and for a while Leonardo da Vinci, flock to the Eternal City, but also numerous characters from all over the peninsula, in pursuit of the splendor of Roman life. Among them are intellectuals from all over Europe, aristocrats and townspeople from the provinces, thirsting for fame, entertainment and spectacle.

Each cardinal, and especially each Pope, immediately after his election, brought behind him a whole crowd of relatives and servants who lived exclusively at the expense of their master. Dad Leone X, according to evidence of the time, broke all records; he surrounded himself with a “family” of 700 people.

In this regard, in Rome the male population is much larger than the female population and makes up about 60% of the population. total number townspeople There are many unmarried men living in Rome, among them representatives of the aristocracy, who have bought important posts in the papal office at a high price. Here are merchants and bankers associated with the same office, suppliers to the papal army, who, if they were married, kept their wives at a very distant distance. If we add artists, performers, military men, all kinds of envoys and ambassadors, then the picture becomes even more complete.

Naturally, all this contributed to the rapid spread of prostitution. Already in 1490, there were about 6,800 courtesans in Rome, not counting concubines and prostitutes from underground brothels. According to the census conducted in 1526, in the Eternal City there were 4,900 courtesans for 55,035 inhabitants. Based on these data, it can be assumed that 10% of the city's population was engaged in this craft.

Thus, Rome during the Renaissance was not only the capital of the Christian world, but also the capital of prostitution. A census of the city's population in 1490 was carried out in connection with the licentious lifestyle of the priests and employees of the papal office, since it was rare that any of them did not have a courtesan or concubine in their home.

From the middle of the 16th century, religious authorities decided to resume good name city ​​and return to it the title of capital of Christianity. Therefore, in 1549 a law was passed prohibiting prostitutes from living in certain neighborhoods, and in 1556 a new decree prohibiting Roman courtesans from attending church in the presence of honest townswomen. Prostitutes can no longer drive up to the church in a stroller and listen to a prayer service in the company of men. Often courtesans, thanks to connections in high church circles, easily circumvented all these prohibitions.

With the advent of Pope Pio V, the laws become even stricter; more and more courtesans are expelled from the city every day. The townspeople begin to protest, then, meeting the population halfway, the Pope allows the remaining prostitutes to settle on the outskirts of the city, away from the rich neighborhoods.

In any case, the persecution of courtesans does not end there; the new Pope Sisto V continues the work of his predecessor. He orders the Roman prostitutes to move into a quarter specially designated for them, but since the number of courtesans is about 15,000, there is not enough room for everyone. In 1566, many creditors of prostitutes go bankrupt, and housing prices skyrocket. In December 1585, the Gostardi-Ceuli bank declares its insolvency. Gostardi-Ceuli administered the money of many Roman courtesans, forced to leave the city, they withdrew their investments, thereby dealing an irreparable blow to the bank.

Despite the fact that the courtesans were isolated in ghettos, despite all the decrees and prohibitions, prostitution in Rome continued to flourish, albeit in a more hidden form. During the Great Jubilee of 1600, papal laws are carried out with greater severity and zeal, but then everything falls into place again.

Courtesans in Venice

For Renaissance Venice, prostitution is nothing new. The Republic of Venice is immersed in luxury, which undoubtedly attracts courtesans of all classes, from the lowest to the highly educated, who, just like in Rome, open their famous salons here. They are visited with pleasure not only by the local nobility, but also by travelers who come to admire this unique city.

The male population of Venice far outnumbers the female population. Moreover, noble ladies do not participate in the cultural life of the city, and only occasionally accompany their husbands during ceremonies and holidays, when the Senate allowed them to appear before society in all their glory; usually, such outfits were prohibited.

In 1498, after 150 years of forced residence in the specially designated Castelletto quarter (near Rialto), prostitutes were finally able to move freely around the city. In the 16th century, their number, as in Rome, was 10% of the total population. One Venetian, returning to his homeland after living abroad for a long time, says: “Venice has become a real brothel.”

But, compared to Rome, Venice was distinguished by its independence and freer views. Even the inquisitors chosen by the city Senate tried to tame rather than encourage the severity of the representatives of the Roman catholic church. Naturally, the existence of courtesans in Venice was much calmer than anywhere else.

But this did not mean at all that the Venetian rulers did not care about public morality, they simply tried to keep this phenomenon under control, without abusing the power granted, without equating courtesans with universal evil and sin. The Venetian authorities tried to protect courtesans from inveterate deceivers and pimps, therefore, at the beginning of the 16th century, all intermediaries of prostitutes and roufians were required to wear yellow clothes for public identification. In 1518, a decree was issued on their expulsion from the city within three days.

From this it cannot be concluded that the Senate of the Venetian Republic promoted courtesans; it only comprehensively prevented the use of prostitution by third parties, punishing incitement to prostitution, in any form, especially for children. For greater clarity, anyone who had anything to do with prostitution was prohibited from having an underage servant. Parents or relatives who sold their children to learn an ancient profession were severely punished, their behavior amounting to gang rape. The young victim received a dowry from the authorities, in accordance with his rank or the level of position of the culprit.

Venetian courtesans were prohibited from living in palaces located on the Canal Grande and attending religious ceremonies. Prostitutes, as in Rome, were forbidden to have any relations with Jews, Muslims and all infidels. So, in 1507, three women were beaten with whips in a public square for sleeping with Turks. But, despite the above facts, the life of the Venetian courtesans was undoubtedly easier than that of their Roman colleagues. And although prostitutes often had to resort to all sorts of tricks and tricks, in general an atmosphere of tolerance reigned in the lagoon.

They say that prostitution is one of the ancient professions. Is it any wonder that throughout history so many women have chosen this path that seems so easy? But you can sell yourself, your body and your leisure time in your company in different ways. Some work in a brothel, but there is also the other side of the coin - geishas and courtesans. These women had more complex, glamorous and long-term relationships with men.

The most famous courtesans generally had affairs with kings and nobles, who showered them with jewelry. Each of these women was not just beautiful, but also smart. After all, it was not easy to capture the attention and love of such important persons. Our story will focus on the most famous courtesans.

Cora Pearl. As is often the case with courtesans, the name they used was not at all what they received at birth. Cora Pearl was born in Plymouth, England, as Eliza Emma Crouch. She first decided to engage in prostitution at the age of 20. The girl grew up in strictness in her grandmother's house, one night she simply ran away from there to London with an elderly man. He left the young Englishwoman money for her attention. Then the girl firmly decided to become the mistress of a rich man, and not an ordinary prostitute. Her admirer was businessman Robert Bignell. And the peak of the courtesan’s career occurred in Paris. There she abandoned Bignell, beginning to accept the courtship of the Duke du Rivoli and Prince Achille Murat. Cora Pearl became famous for her parties, where she appeared completely naked on a platter as the main dish of the feast. In 1867, the woman even tried her hand at the opera Orpheus in Hell. In honor of the courtesan, they even named the drink “Tears of Cora Pearl”, which, oddly enough, is still served today in some London hotels. Unfortunately, the sweet life could not last long. She lost all her splendor and luxury, dying in modest surroundings at the age of about 50.

Josephine Marcus. For some courtesans it made no difference whether to be a mistress or common-law wife. This is exactly what happened to Josephine Marcus, who became famous thanks to her book “I Married Wyatt Earp.” It is interesting that this civil marriage overlapped in time with the previous one, to Mattie Blaylock. Before meeting Earp, the famous lawyer and gambler, Josephine worked as a dancer and actress, and there is no doubt that she was also a courtesan. They said that she was the most beautiful woman of her time. Josephine's parents gave a good education, she could dance and sing. Running away at age 13, Marcus has had many adventures. Her life included cowboys and shootouts with Indians, and the future courtesan toured Arizona with the Markham Theater troupe. At the age of 14-15, under the name Sadie, the girl worked in a brothel. This stage of life became a bad dream for Josephine. And at the age of 20, the girl managed to break out of the vicious circle and met Earp. As early as 1882, Josephine began calling herself Earp, although no marriage record has ever been found. The courtesan's notes became the basis for westerns about the colorful hero of the Wild West. At one time this book was seriously considered as historical document. But over time, it turned out that Josephine got a lot wrong, and chose not to mention some things.

Polly Adler. This woman lived off the income from prostitution, but she herself had only an indirect connection to this low-respect occupation. The fact is that Polly, a native of Russian Ivanovo, came to America at the age of 12. At the age of 19, Polly entered high society and began to communicate with theatergoers and residents of Manhattan. Adler eventually became the most famous "madam" in New York in the 1920s-1940s. And she got into the criminal world by accident - it all started with the fact that an American woman simply allowed a gangster and his girlfriend to use her apartment. And already the first brothel opened by Adler was under the protection of criminal structures. Madame was not at all shy - she was often seen in nightclubs in bright clothes. True, one day Polly actually had to go underground for several months to avoid testifying in court against her gangster acquaintances. In its heyday, the Adler brothel hosted politicians, gangsters, and poets. The courtesan received New York Mayor Walker, playwright Kaufman, and poetess Dorothy Parker. They were all drawn to the glamorous parties held in rented apartments throughout the city. Thanks to connections and large bribes, Madame managed to maintain her business. At the end of her life, Madame left her job with the girls and wrote a bestseller, which ensured her life.

Barbara Payton. Although prostitution is not a good part of a career, it happens that this is the only occupation that can support a once famous person. This is exactly what happened to actress Barbara Payton. After some success in cinema, she was forced to engage in prostitution and become a courtesan. The blonde first appeared on television in 1949 in the film Trapped, then there was Goodbye to Tomorrow with James Cagney in 1950. And the next year the actress starred in the low-grade horror film “Bride of the Gorilla.” Payton began drinking and appearing at parties with Hollywood bosses, playing the role of an available girl. The actress was married 4 times, the duration of her marriage ranged from 53 days to 5 years. Among Barbara's lovers were such famous people in Hollywood as Bob Hope and Howard Hughes. However, even the courtesan’s career quickly went downhill. As a result, the once promising actress was even arrested for selling herself on Sunset Boulevard. And Barbara Payton died at the age of 39 from liver cancer.

Mata Hari. Another example of how a name change can radically change an image and make it more glamorous. Margaretha Gertrude Zella was born in 1876. She first studied at a school for rich children, but after her father's bankruptcy, at the age of 18 she got married and went to Indonesia as the wife of Rudolph McLeod. He himself turned out to be an alcoholic, and besides, he openly maintained a mistress, taking out his dissatisfaction in life on his wife. Disappointed in her husband, Margareta went to another Dutch officer. She began to actively study local traditions, started dancing. In 1897, the 21-year-old woman first performed under the pseudonym Mata Hari, which means “sun” or “eye of the day” in the local language. And in 1903 the couple returned to Europe, the marriage immediately broke up. Finding herself without funds, Margaret Zelle set off to conquer Paris itself. At first she performed as a circus rider, and then as a dancer. Her performances were somewhat reminiscent of a modern striptease; after the number, Mata Hari remained almost completely naked. The courtesan herself quickly acquired celebrity fans, and she also claimed to be an oriental princess. At the beginning of the 20th century, interest in the East and erotica was fashionable in Europe. This served as the basis for the success of Mata Hari, first in Paris and then in other capitals of the continent. Gradually, the woman’s dancing career began to decline, but the number of wealthy fans did not decrease. Mata Hari received politicians, military men, and businessmen. Before the outbreak of the First World War, such an interesting person was recruited by German intelligence. During the fighting, the Dutch citizen moved freely throughout Europe. This, as well as the revelations of her lovers, helped the courtesan obtain information for the French intelligence services. But in the end, the dangerous game ended sadly - in 1917, the courtesan was tried in Paris and shot.

Laura Bell. And prostitutes have something to strive for. Who among them would not like to have a big name, such as, for example, Laura Bell? She was called the "Queen of London Fornication." She received such a resounding title because the Prime Minister of Nepal did not spare 250 thousand pounds for a night with a courtesan. Although the version that sounds more plausible is that the politician spent so much on all the gifts during his relationship with Laura. In the 19th century, Laura Bell was a very famous person in London, now they are called elite prostitutes. But after marrying Captain Frederick Thistlewaite, she embraced faith and began to preach morality.

Nicole D'Oliva. Although courtesans often communicated with high-ranking persons, they rarely directly influenced the fate of the state. In this same case, D'Oliva's actions led to a scandal that dealt a blow to the French monarchy. That situation became known as the "Silver Necklace Story" or "The Queen's Necklace." Although Nicole called herself either a Baroness or a Countess, Mademoiselle was born in poor family. She became an orphan early, there was no one to protect her girlhood, so she took up prostitution. A woman in search of clients began to appear in the Palais Royal, which then served as a modern shopping center. There she was noticed by a certain man, who turned out to be Count de La Motte. He charmed the young prostitute with stories about his situation and his wife's friendship with the queen herself, Marie Antoinette. The Count was playing a dangerous game - he decided, with the help of Nicole, to portray the Queen's passion for Cardinal Louis de Rohan. At night, the courtesan, pretending to be the queen, gave her admirer a rose and said that he would understand everything. It was explained to Nicole herself that it was a joke that Marie Antoinette knew about. Having received one and a half thousand francs, the woman chose not to ask questions. La Motte simply deceived the cardinal in love, borrowing money from him for the queen and even showing him a double. During the conspiracy, the count was even able to convince a suitor to buy an expensive silver necklace for the queen. In 1785, the deception was exposed, La Motte and his henchmen were arrested, including Nicole. During the high-profile trial, the queen's honor suffered, although she knew nothing about what was happening. People began to think that Marie Antoinette was truly a flighty person, who also threw money at her whims. The courtesan herself, while imprisoned in the Bastille, even gave birth to a child and died at the age of only 28, having managed to return to moral life.

Madame DuBarry. This woman is, without a doubt, one of the most successful and famous courtesans in history. Marie Jeanne Becu was the illegitimate daughter of a tax collector. In her youth, she managed to work as a prostitute, and among her clients was even the executioner Henri Samson, who would execute DuBarry in the future. Then the young woman became a milliner and ended up in the house of Count DuBarry. Her lucky star was meeting King Louis XV. He married his favorite to the brother of Count DuBarry. Having become the official favorite of the king, Madame DuBarry intervened little in politics. It was for her that a silver necklace was made, which played an evil role in the fate of Marie Antoinette. The courtesan herself was very popular at court, dressing up in lush, extravagant dresses and doing the same unrealistic hairstyles. But the people hated her, considering her one of the symbols of insane luxury and wastefulness. After the king's death from smallpox, the courtesan moved to her castle, where she continued to live in luxury. But in 1793 she was arrested for connections with emigrants and Girondins and executed.

Nell Gwin. The name of this courtesan, perhaps the most famous in history, is also associated with the king. In fact, Nell Gwyn was the mistress of the English monarch Charles II. According to legend, she was born in an attic, sold fish in her youth, and then became a street singer. Fate gave her a great chance - the actors of the royal theater noticed her and invited her to join their troupe. Nell Gwyn became a comic actress at a time when women were just beginning to appear in the theater (previously, women's parts were played by men in disguise). Then the beauty was taken into custody by Lord Dorset. When Charles II met Nell, he immediately lured her to him. Contemporaries called her beautiful and witty. The courtesan even gave birth to two sons for the king, one of whom received the title of count. But none of them ever laid claim to the throne, although the king had no legal heirs. The favorite did not get involved in politics, simply accepting the rich gifts of her admirer. And it was thanks to Nell Gwyn that the king favored his theater so much. The favorite died at a fairly young age, only 37 years old. Nell Gwyn left behind a whole collection of jokes. One of them said that once a crowd surrounded the carriage with the king's favorite, believing that Gwyn's rival, the Duchess of Portsmouth, was there. However, the brave courtesan looked out the window and shouted: “Have mercy, good people! I'm a Protestant whore."

God! Let me become a virtuous man, but not a virtuous woman! Choose: either love women or understand them. Ninon de Lenclos The word "courtesan" in the mid-sixteenth century meant a high-class mistress, primarily associated with rich, powerful, upper-class men who, in exchange for her services, enriched her with jewelry and gave her status in society. In Renaissance Europe, courtesans played an important role in upper-class society, sometimes even serving as wives at public functions.

There were two types of courtesans: The first category of girls, known in Italy as the "cortigiana onesta" or honest courtesan, were considered intellectuals. The latter were called "cortigiana di lume", and were considered courtesans of the lower class. Despite the fact that the latter were still considered a class above ordinary ladies of easy virtue, the former were usually romanticized and even, to one degree or another, equated with women of the royal family. It is with this type of servants of beauty that the concept of “courtesan art” is associated.

With the fall of most monarchies and the rise of democratic societies, the role of courtesans changed. They played the role of spies in the government. This role is usually associated with Mata Hari. Today you can still find courtesans of the old type, but they are a huge rarity. COUNtess de CASTIGLIONE

In 1856 - 1860, the photographic house of Mayer and Pearson completed an unusual order. One of the regular clients of the photo studio, Countess Castiglione, asked to take a series of photos for which she posed with her skirts raised and her legs bare. These photographs, quite modest by our standards, were perceived as provocative and shocking for the mid-19th century. The scandal was greatly facilitated by the fame of the customer. Countess de Castiglione is a famous Italian courtesan. By general recognition of her contemporaries, she was the most beautiful woman of her century. At the age of 16 she married Count Francesco de Castiglione and gave birth to his son in 1855. That same year she moved to Paris, where she soon became the lover of Napoleon III. So, among other things, she carried out the instructions of her cousin, Count Cavour, to convince Napoleon not to interfere with the unification of Italy. Their relationship lasted only two years, but it opened the beauty's doors to the living rooms of the German Empress Augusta, Otto von Bismarck, and Adolphe Thiers.

Being an influential socialite, she shone at court, without neglecting diplomatic assignments. Her beauty gave rise to a lot of legends, and photographs played a significant role in her popularity. For the photo shoot, special costumes were selected, which served as the name of the entire series: “White Nun”, ball gown “Queen of Spades”, “ Black dress", "Queen of Etruria", "Breton Peasant". In these outfits, Countess Castiglione appeared at costume balls. In the famous Madness Games series, she posed with an oval photo frame covering part of her face.

She often sent these photographs to friends, lovers and admirers. Sometimes she used her photo performances to intimidate. Thus, she sent a series of photographs called “Revenge”, where she was photographed with a deliberately threatening look (scattered curls, a fierce gaze and a dagger in her hands), to her ex-husband when he wanted to take her child away from her.

In total, she ordered more than 400 photographs from Pearson. Sometimes the countess ordered risky photographs in desabilille, flirtatiously revealing one or another part of the body. A special place in the countess's photo gallery was occupied by her legs. Several times she asked for close-ups of her legs, the shape of which she was especially proud of.

After a break with Napoleon III and several years in Italy, the countess returned to France and settled in Passy. During the Franco-Prussian War, she carried out an important secret assignment - to dissuade Bismarck from occupying Paris (the capital was not occupied). In the 1880s, suffering from neurasthenia, she secluded herself in her mansion on Place Vendôme, where the walls were covered in black and the mirrors were curtained. She did not want to see what time had done to her, she avoided the gaze of others and left the house only at night. She died of apoplexy. She was buried in the Père Lachaise cemetery. MATA HARI

Mata Hari means "Eye of the Dawn" in Javanese, but for everyone it has become a symbol of a spy. This unique woman became a legend during her lifetime. Her whole life was surrounded by such legends that even now it is very difficult to separate truth from fiction and say exactly who she really was: a scandalous dancer or an indecent spy who worked for two intelligence services, an important seductress or an objective victim. Some say that Mata Hari traded herself left and right, without missing a single man, and, as a result, got what she deserved, others believe that she was betrayed by the very men who could not share this unheard of woman among themselves.

Legends, legends, legends... It is possible that Mata Hari herself spread them. In life, everything was as always: both simpler and more tragic. Mata Hari is the daughter of the Dutch master hatter Adam Seele, who became incredibly rich in stock trading and bought a fashionable house in their hometown of Leeuwarden. But he soon went bankrupt, divorced his wife and left the family. A few years later, the still very young Margaret Zelle also lost her mother, who died in 1891 from tuberculosis. Adam Zelle took upon himself the upbringing of his two younger twin brothers, and gave his daughter to relatives in the neighboring town of Leiden. In 1895, nineteen-year-old Margaret met through an advertisement a Scottish officer who was serving in India and was on leave, and married him. For some time Margaret Zelle lived in India with her husband. But the family did not work out, and the young woman plunged into the abyss of Paris, trying to find her happiness there. The pseudonym Mata Hari also appeared there. And the ability to dance in the oriental way. In fact, she became the first Parisian stripper, shocking the public with her phenomenal natural beauty, relaxedness, and art. The French capital had never seen anything like this at that time.

Nowadays you won’t surprise anyone with strip dancing, but then, in 1905, they became a real sensation, especially since they were passed off as reproducing religious rites in honor of Buddha, Shiva and other Indian deities. The performances were accompanied by oriental music, also little known at that time, and even tamed snakes, which, entwining the dancer’s body, remained almost her only attire.

Success dance evenings Mata Hari was colossal. The tall, slender brunette quickly gained universal fame and such popularity that all the moralists who condemned the dancing of naked women were forced to remain silent. Mata Hari was especially enthusiastically received in Berlin. Here (as, indeed, in other capitals) many sought her love the mighty of the world this. The number of lovers grew - performer erotic dances became one of the most fashionable and highly paid high society courtesans.

She was involved with a number of high-ranking military, politicians and other influential people in many countries, including France and Germany. Despite the rich gifts she received from her lovers, Mata Hari experienced long periods of lack of funds and incurred a lot of debt. Her passion was also card game, which may have been where her money went.

The dancer's fees exceeded the profits of large bankers and entrepreneurs, and almost all newspapers wrote about her love affairs. It’s hard to say what was true and what was fiction, but during the trial of Mata Hari, two kings, the crown prince of Germany, the prime minister, the French minister and several other high-ranking officials who admitted having affairs with her acted as witnesses to her innocence. and asking for leniency towards the woman. They all said with one voice: no Mata Hari is a spy.

High-ranking lovers are not an ideal source for obtaining all kinds of information! Four years before the start of the war, Mata Hari was recruited by German intelligence, and she became one of its most effective agents. True, it is difficult to understand why she needed such a service. There could be no talk of any special love for Germany or patriotism, and one could hardly count on any special income, especially since this woman was accustomed to receiving money without an account from her fans. Some historians argue that she simply obviously spent more than she received, others - that she wanted to take revenge on Paris for something. Be that as it may, we can only guess about the reasons.

After many decades, modern historians are inclined to believe that the woman’s popularity really attracted attention to her person from the intelligence services of France and Germany, who were on the verge of war. When disaster struck, Paris had no time for dancing and entertainment, and the celebrity's fees disappeared like smoke. This forced Mata Hari to move to her native Holland for some time, and it was there that German intelligence caught up with her. An adventurous character, combined with lack of money, made the woman an H21 agent. But not a scout. In Paris, where she returned at the height of the First World War, she was identified in no time, and the French already offered her, using personal connections in high European spheres, to supply them with the necessary information. Back in the early 20s, Colonel Walter Nicolai, who headed the intelligence of the German General Staff, made a sensational statement: yes, Mata Hari was looking for an opportunity to earn extra money by collaborating with his department, but she was not a spy. A beautiful lady just got involved in games that were not at all feminine, and died for it.

On October 13, 1917, Mata Hari, immediately upon returning to Paris, was arrested by French intelligence and accused of spying for the enemy during wartime. Her trial was held behind closed doors. She was accused of transmitting information to the enemy that led to the death of several divisions of soldiers. The court materials are still classified, but some information made it into the press. Dutch citizen Margaretha Zelle was found guilty and executed at a military training ground in Vincennes on October 15, 1917.

Former courtesan and famous double agent, Mata Hari calmly, without a trace of emotion, stood at the execution stake. Turning to the nun, she kissed her and, taking her coat off her shoulders, handed it to her: “Hug me quickly, I will look at you. Goodbye!” She refused to have her wrists tied, preferring to stand at the post without being tied to it. She also refused the black blindfold. Sending an air kiss to twelve soldiers (her executioners), the undaunted Mata Hari shouted: “I’m ready, gentlemen!” Her body was transferred to the anatomical theater. CAROLINE OTERO

A brilliant character in "La Belle Epoque", actress, singer, dancer, "the last courtesan of the era" - Carolina "La Belle" Otero was born in 1868 in Ponte de Valga Pontevedra in Spain into a poor family. At the age of twenty, Caroline found a sponsor in Barcelona who helped develop her dance career in France. She soon created the image of La Belle Otero, posing as spanish gypsy.

Very quickly, La Belle became the star of the productions of Les Folies Bèrgere in Paris, with each triumphant season weighing more and more on her chest with her own real jewels. Like many of her competitors, La Belle Otero soon became more famous as a courtesan. She was called the last great courtesan. She was known for frequent love affairs with powerful men. Her list of love conquests included 6 royals, among whom were the kings of England, Serbia and Spain, the Kaiser, the Prince of Monaco, the Russian Grand Dukes, Peter and Nicholas, the Duke of Westminster and the writer Gabriel d'Annunzio .

Although unconfirmed, there were rumors that six men committed suicide after she broke up with them. And it is certain that at least two men fought a duel over her. She was lovely, determined, had a beautiful figure, and her breasts were famous. There is a legend that the shape of her breasts inspired the architect of the famous French Carlton Hotel when designing the twin towers. The hotel was built in 1912 and remains one of the symbols of European glamor and chic for almost a century.

Her love affairs brought her notoriety and the envy of many other famous French ladies of the time. In August 1898, in St. Petersburg, French cameraman Flix Mesguich (employed by the Lumière company) filmed Otero performing her famous Waltz of Diamonds in a one-minute film, making her perhaps history's first movie star.

After a concert trip to the front during World War I, Carolina Otero suddenly left the stage with the enormous fortune she had amassed over the years. She bought a mansion in the south of France. With her beauty and fame, she led a lavish lifestyle, squandering her millions on casino gambling. Belle Otero died in poverty at the age of ninety-seven in Nice, France in 1965, forty-seven years after the end of her extraordinary career.