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Beatrice Cenci

January 06, 2023

For other uses, see Beatrice Cenci (disambiguation).

Beatrice Cenci (Italian: [beaˈtriːtʃe ˈtʃɛntʃi]; 6 February 1577 – 11 September 1599)[2] was a Roman noblewoman who murdered her father, Count Francesco Cenci. She was beheaded in 1599 after a lurid murder trial in Rome that gave rise to an enduring legend about her.

A possible portrait of Cenci variously attributed to Reni or Sirani, supposedly from life,[a] praised by Stendhal, Dickens, and Hawthorne and inspiring Shelley's verse play of her life.[1]

Life

Beatrice was the daughter of Ersilia Santacroce and Count Francesco Cenci,[3] a "man of great wealth but dissolute habits and violent temper".[4] When Beatrice was seven years old, in June 1584, her mother died. After her mother's death, Beatrice and her elder sister Antonina were sent to a small monastery, Santa Croce a Montecitorio for Franciscan Tertiary nuns in the rione Colonna of Rome.[5]

 
H. G. Hosmer: Beatrice Cenci

The family lived in Rome at the Palazzo Cenci in the rione Regola. The members of the extended family living together included Count Francesco's second wife, Lucrezia Petroni; Beatrice's elder brother, Giacomo; and Bernardo, Francesco's son from his second marriage. They also possessed a castle, La Rocca of Petrella Salto, a small village in the Abruzzi mountains northeast of Rome.

According to legend, Francesco Cenci abused his first wife Ersilia Santa Croce and his sons and repeatedly raped Beatrice. He was jailed for other crimes, but was freed early because of his noble status.[6] Beatrice tried to inform the authorities about his abusive behaviour, but no effective action was taken.[6] When he found out that his daughter had reported him, he sent Beatrice and Lucrezia away from Rome to live in the family's castle at La Petrella del Salto.

The four[which?] Cencis decided they had no alternative but to try to get rid of Count Francesco, and together organized a plot. In 1598, during one of Francesco's stays at the castle, two vassals (one of whom had become Beatrice's secret lover) helped them to drug him. Beatrice, her siblings, and their stepmother then bludgeoned Francesco to death with a hammer and threw the body off a balcony to make it look like an accident.

 
From an Italian series of prints, 1870

Eventually, his absence was noticed, and the papal police investigated. Beatrice's lover was tortured and died without revealing the truth. Meanwhile, a family friend who was aware of the murder ordered the killing of the second vassal to avoid any risk. Nonetheless, the plot was discovered, and the four members of the Cenci family were arrested, found guilty, and sentenced to death. Knowing the reasons for the murder, the common people of Rome protested against the tribunal's decision, obtaining a short postponement of the execution. Pope Clement VIII, however, fearing a spate of familial murders (the Countess of Santa Croce had recently been murdered by her son for financial gain), showed no mercy.

At dawn on 11 September 1599, they were taken to Sant'Angelo Bridge, where the scaffold was usually built. In the cart to the scaffold, Giacomo was subjected to continual torture. On reaching the scaffold, his head was smashed with a mallet. His corpse was then quartered.[7] The public spectacle continued with the executions of Lucrezia and then Beatrice. Both took their turns on the block to be beheaded with a small axe. Only the 12-year-old Bernardo was spared, but he was led to the scaffold and forced to witness the execution of his relatives before returning to prison and having his properties confiscated (to be given to the Pope's own family). It was decreed that Bernardo should then become a galley slave for the remainder of his life.[8] However, he was released a year later.[7] Beatrice was buried in the church of San Pietro in Montorio.

The legend

Beatrice has become a symbol to the people of Rome of resistance against the arrogant aristocracy. It is related that every year on the night before the anniversary of her death, she comes back to the Sant'Angelo Bridge where she was executed, carrying her severed head.[9]

Influence on literature and the arts

 
Beatrice Cenci after the rack by Sarah A. Doidge about 1890

Beatrice Cenci has been the subject of a number of literary and musical works:

Statues, paintings, and photography also provide numerous portraits and homages to Beatice Cenci: The Italian painter Caravaggio witnessed Beatrice's public execution and may have used it as inspiration for the decapitation scene in his painting Judith Beheading Holofernes.[10]

A statue by American sculptor Harriet Goodhue Hosmer entitled Beatrice Cenci (1857) is on display at the Mercantile Library on the University of Missouri–St. Louis campus in St. Louis, Missouri.

 
"Beatrice Cenci" (1866), a study for a photographic series devoted to Cenci by Julia Margaret Cameron

The early photographer Julia Margaret Cameron posed her model, May Prinsep, as Beatrice in an 1866 albumen print portrait among a series she devoted to Beatrice Cenci.

The possible portrait of Beatrice Cenci by Baroque painter Guido Reni (1575–1642) and the legend surrounding Beatrice figure prominently in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Marble Faun (1860). The book's two principal female characters, Hilda and Miriam, debate the nature and extent of Beatrice's guilt. Hilda believes Beatrice's act to be an "inexpiable crime" but Miriam believes it was "no sin at all, but the best possible virtue in the circumstances". Hawthorne draws many similarities between Miriam and Beatrice, and the reader must decide whether Miriam is an avenger or a culprit.

In Letitia Elizabeth Landon's short story "The Bride of Lindorf" (1836), the main character has an emotional attachment to the painting of Beatrice Cenci.

The Reni painting and the story of Beatrice figure in the plot of Liza Marklund's novel Last Will (2006). The painting also figures in Book 26 of Herman Melville's novel Pierre; or, The Ambiguities (1852).

Films have been inspired by the life of Beatrice Cenci also:

In David Lynch's film Mulholland Dr. (2001), Reni's painting is shown hanging in the Hollywood apartment of Ruth Elms as a reference to Cenci.

The 1969 Italian film Beatrice Cenci, directed by Lucio Fulci, follows the historical events of her life very closely. Fulci claimed it was one of his favorite works, though he was better known for his gruesome horror films. It was also distributed under the title The Conspiracy of Torture.

The character played by Mia Farrow in the film Secret Ceremony is named Cenci, in reference to the Beatrice legend.

See also

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Beatrice Cenci.

Notes

  1. ^ In fact, Reni would not have been in Rome at the time of her trial and the portrait is more likely intended to represent a sibyl.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b Nicholl (1998).
  2. ^ "Beatrice Cenci | Italian noble". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  3. ^ "See C. Ricci in the entry "Cenci"". Encyclopedia Italiana. treccani.it. 1931. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  4. ^ Chisholm (1911), p. 660.
  5. ^ Armellini, Mariano (1887). Le chiese di Roma Dalle loro origini sino al secolo XVI. Roma: Tipografia Editrice Romana. p. 214.
  6. ^ a b Naish, Camille (2013). Death comes to the maiden sex and execution 1431-1933. London: Routledge. p. 67. ISBN 9780203104019. OCLC 1059033365.
  7. ^ a b Chisholm (1911), p. 661.
  8. ^ Bowyer, George; Farinaccius, Prosper (1838). A dissertation on the statutes of the cities of Italy; and a translation of the pleading of Prospero Farinacio in defence of Beatrice Cenci. Richards and Co.
  9. ^ Jackson, Alvin. The Oxford Handbook of Modern Irish History. OUP Oxford. p. 268. ISBN 9780199549344.
  10. ^ Robb, Peter (1998). M: The Caravaggio Enigma. Duffy and Snellgrove. ISBN 978-1-8759-8942-3.

Bibliography

  • Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Cenci, Beatrice" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 5 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 660–661.
  • Guarazzi, Francesco Domenico. Beatrice Cenci (in Italian).
  • Nicholl, Charles (2 July 1998). "Screaming in the Castle: The Case of Beatrice Cenci". London Review of Books. Vol. 20, no. 13.

January 06, 2023
beatrice, cenci, other, uses, disambiguation, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, september, 2021, learn, when, re. For other uses see Beatrice Cenci disambiguation This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations September 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message Beatrice Cenci Italian beaˈtriːtʃe ˈtʃɛntʃi 6 February 1577 11 September 1599 2 was a Roman noblewoman who murdered her father Count Francesco Cenci She was beheaded in 1599 after a lurid murder trial in Rome that gave rise to an enduring legend about her A possible portrait of Cenci variously attributed to Reni or Sirani supposedly from life a praised by Stendhal Dickens and Hawthorne and inspiring Shelley s verse play of her life 1 Contents 1 Life 2 The legend 3 Influence on literature and the arts 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 6 1 BibliographyLife EditBeatrice was the daughter of Ersilia Santacroce and Count Francesco Cenci 3 a man of great wealth but dissolute habits and violent temper 4 When Beatrice was seven years old in June 1584 her mother died After her mother s death Beatrice and her elder sister Antonina were sent to a small monastery Santa Croce a Montecitorio for Franciscan Tertiary nuns in the rione Colonna of Rome 5 H G Hosmer Beatrice Cenci The family lived in Rome at the Palazzo Cenci in the rione Regola The members of the extended family living together included Count Francesco s second wife Lucrezia Petroni Beatrice s elder brother Giacomo and Bernardo Francesco s son from his second marriage They also possessed a castle La Rocca of Petrella Salto a small village in the Abruzzi mountains northeast of Rome According to legend Francesco Cenci abused his first wife Ersilia Santa Croce and his sons and repeatedly raped Beatrice He was jailed for other crimes but was freed early because of his noble status 6 Beatrice tried to inform the authorities about his abusive behaviour but no effective action was taken 6 When he found out that his daughter had reported him he sent Beatrice and Lucrezia away from Rome to live in the family s castle at La Petrella del Salto The four which Cencis decided they had no alternative but to try to get rid of Count Francesco and together organized a plot In 1598 during one of Francesco s stays at the castle two vassals one of whom had become Beatrice s secret lover helped them to drug him Beatrice her siblings and their stepmother then bludgeoned Francesco to death with a hammer and threw the body off a balcony to make it look like an accident From an Italian series of prints 1870 Eventually his absence was noticed and the papal police investigated Beatrice s lover was tortured and died without revealing the truth Meanwhile a family friend who was aware of the murder ordered the killing of the second vassal to avoid any risk Nonetheless the plot was discovered and the four members of the Cenci family were arrested found guilty and sentenced to death Knowing the reasons for the murder the common people of Rome protested against the tribunal s decision obtaining a short postponement of the execution Pope Clement VIII however fearing a spate of familial murders the Countess of Santa Croce had recently been murdered by her son for financial gain showed no mercy At dawn on 11 September 1599 they were taken to Sant Angelo Bridge where the scaffold was usually built In the cart to the scaffold Giacomo was subjected to continual torture On reaching the scaffold his head was smashed with a mallet His corpse was then quartered 7 The public spectacle continued with the executions of Lucrezia and then Beatrice Both took their turns on the block to be beheaded with a small axe Only the 12 year old Bernardo was spared but he was led to the scaffold and forced to witness the execution of his relatives before returning to prison and having his properties confiscated to be given to the Pope s own family It was decreed that Bernardo should then become a galley slave for the remainder of his life 8 However he was released a year later 7 Beatrice was buried in the church of San Pietro in Montorio The legend EditBeatrice has become a symbol to the people of Rome of resistance against the arrogant aristocracy It is related that every year on the night before the anniversary of her death she comes back to the Sant Angelo Bridge where she was executed carrying her severed head 9 Influence on literature and the arts Edit Beatrice Cenci after the rack by Sarah A Doidge about 1890 Beatrice Cenci has been the subject of a number of literary and musical works Philip Massinger s play The Unnatural Combat c 1619 contains specific echoes of the case and antedates the Romantic revival of Beatrice by 200 years Percy Bysshe Shelley s verse drama The Cenci A Tragedy in Five Acts composed at Rome and at Villa Valsovano near Livorno May 5 August 1819 published spring 1820 by C amp J Ollier London 1819 Les Cenci a short story by Stendhal 1837 Beatrix Cenci a verse drama 1839 by Polish poet Juliusz Slowacki Beatrice Cenci a novel by Francesco Domenico Guerrazzi 1854 Beatrice Cenci In a City Shop Window 1871 a poem by Sarah Morgan Bryan Piatt American poet Beatrix Cenci by Astolphe de Custine Nemesis tragedy by Alfred Nobel Beatrice Cenci a play by Alberto Moravia 1958 trans Angus Davidson 1965 Beatriz Cenci a verse drama by Goncalves Dias Beatrix Cenci opera by Alberto Ginastera based on the Shelley play Beatrice Cenci opera by Berthold Goldschmidt based on the Shelley play Les Cenci 1935 play by Antonin Artaud adaptation of the Shelley play The Cenci essay by Alexandre Dumas in Volume 1 of Celebrated Crimes 1840 Legende und Wahrheit der Beatrice Cenci 1926 short story by Stefan Zweig The Cenci 1951 52 an opera by Havergal Brian abridged from Shelley s play The Cenci Family 2004 a radio play by Lizzie Hopley directed by Lu Kemp Beatrice Cenci 2006 musical drama by Alessandro Londei and Brunella Caronti Beatrice Cenci Telle une fleur coupee a novel by Jean Rocchi editor Esmeralda 10 May 2004 Finis the Cenci 1954 a 17 line poem by F R Scott in Events and Signals also in his Selected Poems 1966 and Collected Poems 1981 A Tale for Midnight 1955 a novel by Frederic Prokosch the Canadian opera Beatrice Chancy written by George Elliott Clarke and James Rolfe and inspired by the Shelley play transplants the story to nineteenth century Nova Scotia 11 settembre 1599 A Beatrice Cenci a piece in poetic prose by Sabrina Gatti Italian writer in Il trono dei poveri 2020 Statues paintings and photography also provide numerous portraits and homages to Beatice Cenci The Italian painter Caravaggio witnessed Beatrice s public execution and may have used it as inspiration for the decapitation scene in his painting Judith Beheading Holofernes 10 A statue by American sculptor Harriet Goodhue Hosmer entitled Beatrice Cenci 1857 is on display at the Mercantile Library on the University of Missouri St Louis campus in St Louis Missouri Beatrice Cenci 1866 a study for a photographic series devoted to Cenci by Julia Margaret Cameron The early photographer Julia Margaret Cameron posed her model May Prinsep as Beatrice in an 1866 albumen print portrait among a series she devoted to Beatrice Cenci The possible portrait of Beatrice Cenci by Baroque painter Guido Reni 1575 1642 and the legend surrounding Beatrice figure prominently in Nathaniel Hawthorne s The Marble Faun 1860 The book s two principal female characters Hilda and Miriam debate the nature and extent of Beatrice s guilt Hilda believes Beatrice s act to be an inexpiable crime but Miriam believes it was no sin at all but the best possible virtue in the circumstances Hawthorne draws many similarities between Miriam and Beatrice and the reader must decide whether Miriam is an avenger or a culprit In Letitia Elizabeth Landon s short story The Bride of Lindorf 1836 the main character has an emotional attachment to the painting of Beatrice Cenci The Reni painting and the story of Beatrice figure in the plot of Liza Marklund s novel Last Will 2006 The painting also figures in Book 26 of Herman Melville s novel Pierre or The Ambiguities 1852 Films have been inspired by the life of Beatrice Cenci also In David Lynch s film Mulholland Dr 2001 Reni s painting is shown hanging in the Hollywood apartment of Ruth Elms as a reference to Cenci The 1969 Italian film Beatrice Cenci directed by Lucio Fulci follows the historical events of her life very closely Fulci claimed it was one of his favorite works though he was better known for his gruesome horror films It was also distributed under the title The Conspiracy of Torture The character played by Mia Farrow in the film Secret Ceremony is named Cenci in reference to the Beatrice legend See also Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Beatrice Cenci Tochigi patricide case List of people executed by the Holy SeeNotes Edit In fact Reni would not have been in Rome at the time of her trial and the portrait is more likely intended to represent a sibyl 1 References Edit a b Nicholl 1998 Beatrice Cenci Italian noble Encyclopaedia Britannica Retrieved 25 April 2019 See C Ricci in the entry Cenci Encyclopedia Italiana treccani it 1931 Retrieved 20 June 2017 Chisholm 1911 p 660 Armellini Mariano 1887 Le chiese di Roma Dalle loro origini sino al secolo XVI Roma Tipografia Editrice Romana p 214 a b Naish Camille 2013 Death comes to the maiden sex and execution 1431 1933 London Routledge p 67 ISBN 9780203104019 OCLC 1059033365 a b Chisholm 1911 p 661 Bowyer George Farinaccius Prosper 1838 A dissertation on the statutes of the cities of Italy and a translation of the pleading of Prospero Farinacio in defence of Beatrice Cenci Richards and Co Jackson Alvin The Oxford Handbook of Modern Irish History OUP Oxford p 268 ISBN 9780199549344 Robb Peter 1998 M The Caravaggio Enigma Duffy and Snellgrove ISBN 978 1 8759 8942 3 Bibliography Edit Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Cenci Beatrice Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 5 11th ed Cambridge University Press pp 660 661 Guarazzi Francesco Domenico Beatrice Cenci in Italian Nicholl Charles 2 July 1998 Screaming in the Castle The Case of Beatrice Cenci London Review of Books Vol 20 no 13 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Beatrice Cenci amp oldid 1130276163, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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