How an Italian marquise became a socialite, and then squandered all her fortune and died a beggar (7 photos)

At first she was admired, and at the end of her life no one wanted to have anything to do with her.





Louise Ammann was the heiress of an earl and the richest cotton merchant in Italy. He died in 1896, following him out of life his wife also left. Louise was then 15 years old, her sister Francesca - 16.



Louise as a child

Strictly speaking, Louise was never considered beautiful. IN unlike her older sister. They said about her that nature endowed her grace and femininity. And Louise got nothing.

But what difference does it make what you look like if your father's millions, a name and unlimited freedom at his disposal? That's Louise thought so and went into all serious trouble.



Louise before marriage

She began to change fans, almost like on a conveyor belt. When walked up as it should, married the Marquis Camilo Casati. her then he was 19 years old, he was 24. They spent their honeymoon in Paris, where Louise met Cristina Trivulzio, the famous "sorceress" and a fan of the occult. Then it was generally fashionable: throughout Europe salons were opened where wealthy aristocrats and industrialists “called spirits” and tried to establish contact with otherworldly forces. As a rule, all this ended with drinking or the use of substances. IN At that time, Louise became addicted to opium.



Luxury and shocking were its features

But before that, she managed to give birth to a daughter, Christina. However, as a child she was practically not interested and immediately sent the girl to a boarding school.

After that, she again arranged a spree with numerous lovers, alcohol and substances. With her husband by that time they already lived separately, but divorced only in 1924. By the way, Louise was the first a Catholic woman who got divorced.

The next hobby of the Marquise Casati was the poet and joker Gabriel D'Annunzio. She kept in touch with him until her death. Gabriel in the late 1930s.



Marquise posed for the most famous artists of her time

Well, Louise continued her studies in the occult, while not I forgot about balls and luxurious dresses. One dress could cost more than an ordinary hard worker earned in a few years. But it's not much I was worried - there was still money from my father, and the ex-husband gave generous compensation, if only to quickly say goodbye to her.

Louise appeared at all the luxurious receptions in Rome and soon about they started talking about her as an icon of European style. At that time it was in fashion thinness and unusual appearance - Louise was completely suitable for all parameters.



Not a single significant event was complete without Louise

With the money of her ex-husband, the Marquise bought a palace in Rome and took up design: installed musical fountains, hung Venetian mirrors and velvet curtains. At the entrance she placed two golden gazelles. She made a bed for her greyhounds on the skins of polar bears. How much is everything it was worth it - she didn't care at all.

And then Louise got tired of Rome and she went to Venice. She posed there for artists in the languid image of a lady with violets and a greyhound her legs. Then the marquise had not yet grown old, but her appearance had already faded: Louise increasingly drank the bottle and used substances. When she bored with Venice, Casati moved to Corsica, and then to the suburbs Paris.



When she was over 50, the Marquise lost her former gloss and mystery.

The years were already taking their toll, and one of her former admirers remarked, that Louise “remains only stuffed with hay and exposed behind glass as scarecrow." With money, too, it became tight and the Marquise sold all her property and luxury items. But I squandered these funds in a few years and got into debt. At the end of her life, already aged, with strong addictions and a shattered psyche, she turned out to be of no use to anyone. The only person who did not leave her was her daughter Christina. All my life mother did not pay any attention to her, but Christina forgave eccentric marquise and sheltered in her house in London.

Louise remained true to herself there and continued her studies. occultism. And died of a stroke right at the Ouija table sessions. She was quickly forgotten, but through the floorcentury model houses Givenchy, Dior, Chanel and Armani dedicated clothing collections to the Marquise.

So even after the death of Louise Casati, she was still able to shine once more in the newspaper headlines.