Giustiniana Wynne
Encyclopedia
Giustiniana Wynne, was an Anglo-Venetian author
. She was born January 21, 1737 in Venice
and died on August 22, 1791 in Padua
, Italy
. She is best known for her association with Casanova as well as for a secret love affair with Andrea Memmo, one of the Venetian Republic's last statesmen.
At the age of sixteen, Giustiniana met Andrea Memmo, the 24-year-old son of one of Venice's ruling families. The two fell in love and began a clandestine affair which lasted nearly seven years. Due to the difference in their classes, marriage
was not a consideration for them. Also, upon the discovery of Memmo's attentions to her daughter, Anna forbade them to see each other. This was to protect Giustiniana's virtue and reputation so as not to deter future suitors. These two factors led to the writing and exchange of hundreds of surreptitious letters between Giustiniana and Memmo, some written in a secret code
devised by Memmo himself.
by Mocenigo descendant, Alvise di Robilant. Upon his untimely death his son, Andrea di Robilant, researched the letters and eventually wrote the historical work, A Venetian Affair, published by Knopf in 2003.
Conversely, letters from Giustiniana to Andrea Memmo had been found previously but had only told one side of the story. With di Robilant’s discovery, a clearer picture began to emerge.
ensued over this and left the Wynnes no choice but to leave Venice. Anna and her five children then made their way to Paris
with the hope of continuing to London
where they thought to start a new life in Sir Richard’s native land.
During this time, Giustiniana was pregnant but hid it the best she could and told no one, not even her mother. As the wedding
neared she grew more and more desperate to rid herself of the fetus
growing inside her. At wits end, she eventually turns to one of the worldliest men of her acquaintance, Casanova, who has escaped the prison in Venice and is in Paris the same time as she.
by convincing her that doing so (with saffron
and honey
smeared on his phallus
) would discharge her unwanted fetus. (It is possible the baby was conceived
with Andrea Memmo but there is no proof of this.) Casanova’s “remedy” was not successful however and Giustiniana gave birth
to an unnamed son in a convent
outside of Paris. The baby was given up to a family capable of raising him. Giustiniana disappearance during this time sparked many rumors
throughout Paris and then Venice, and eventually led to the end of any marriage plans with M. de la Pouplinière.
. Their time apart has changed them and even Giustiniana conceded that she no longer has a taste for marriage. Upon the family’s return to Padua, Giustiniana forbade Memmo to come to her. When they eventually did meet again, it was as fond friends.
to Venice, Philip Josef, Count Rosenberg-Orsini and married him in a secret ceremony (probably) at the Embassy. Giustiniana lived with him in Palazzo Loreden until their return to Austria
. She was never acknowledged by the Austrian government as a countess and after his death, she eventually made her way back to Italy
. She never remarried and began to write stories, the first an account of a major celebration in Venice, the second a compilation, and the third a novel in French titled Les Morlacques. Her works were published in London and Venice and by 1786 she was considered a successful author.
Countess Giustiniana Wynne Rosenberg-Orsini is buried in the Church of San Benedetto in Padua, where a tablet in her memory can be found above the entrance portal.
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
. She was born January 21, 1737 in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
and died on August 22, 1791 in Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. She is best known for her association with Casanova as well as for a secret love affair with Andrea Memmo, one of the Venetian Republic's last statesmen.
Early life
A reputed beauty of her day, Giustiniana Wynne was conceived out of wedlock but was legitimized by the marriage of her parents, Greek-born Venetian Anna Gazzini and Englishman Sir Richard Wynne. She was the eldest of the couple's five children, and was raised solely by her mother after the death of Sir Richard.At the age of sixteen, Giustiniana met Andrea Memmo, the 24-year-old son of one of Venice's ruling families. The two fell in love and began a clandestine affair which lasted nearly seven years. Due to the difference in their classes, marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
was not a consideration for them. Also, upon the discovery of Memmo's attentions to her daughter, Anna forbade them to see each other. This was to protect Giustiniana's virtue and reputation so as not to deter future suitors. These two factors led to the writing and exchange of hundreds of surreptitious letters between Giustiniana and Memmo, some written in a secret code
Secret Code
Secret Code is the debut major album of artist Aya Kamiki, released on July 12, 2006. It comes in a CD only version. Secret Code debuted at number 5 on the Oricon Weekly Charts for Japan and sold 65,004 copies in total...
devised by Memmo himself.
A Venetian Affair
In the 1990s, stacks of Memmo's letters to Giusitiniana were found bundled in the attic of Palazzo Mocenigo on the Grand CanalGrand Canal
Grand Canal can refer to multiple waterways:* Grand Canal in eastern China* Grand Canal in Venice, Italy* Grand Canal , between the river Shannon and Dublin in Ireland* Grand Canal d'Alsace in eastern France...
by Mocenigo descendant, Alvise di Robilant. Upon his untimely death his son, Andrea di Robilant, researched the letters and eventually wrote the historical work, A Venetian Affair, published by Knopf in 2003.
Conversely, letters from Giustiniana to Andrea Memmo had been found previously but had only told one side of the story. With di Robilant’s discovery, a clearer picture began to emerge.
Attempt at Marriage
After four years of secret meetings, stolen moments, and public hand signals, Memmo finally urged his family to petition the Venetian authorities for permission to marry Giustiniana. As the process dragged on the lovers grew hopeful that they would indeed be united. But just as the request was about to be approved, evidence surfaced about the dishonorable past of Giustiniana’s mother, Anna. ScandalScandal
A scandal is a widely publicized allegation or set of allegations that damages the reputation of an institution, individual or creed...
ensued over this and left the Wynnes no choice but to leave Venice. Anna and her five children then made their way to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
with the hope of continuing to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
where they thought to start a new life in Sir Richard’s native land.
Paris Debacle
Following Memmo’s advice to her, Giustiniana worked to become acquainted with Paris’ tax collection general, the wealthy but elderly widower Alexandre Jean Joseph Le Riche de la Pouplinière. She used her charms to attract his attentions, believing that a marriage to an elderly gentleman would help facilitate a future for her affair with Memmo. Just as the lovers had hoped, la Pouplinière does ask her to become his wife.During this time, Giustiniana was pregnant but hid it the best she could and told no one, not even her mother. As the wedding
Wedding
A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes...
neared she grew more and more desperate to rid herself of the fetus
Fetus
A fetus is a developing mammal or other viviparous vertebrate after the embryonic stage and before birth.In humans, the fetal stage of prenatal development starts at the beginning of the 11th week in gestational age, which is the 9th week after fertilization.-Etymology and spelling variations:The...
growing inside her. At wits end, she eventually turns to one of the worldliest men of her acquaintance, Casanova, who has escaped the prison in Venice and is in Paris the same time as she.
Casanova
Giacomo Girolamo Casanova, notorious Venetian and famed lover of women, details his interaction with Giustiniana in his memoirs, The History of My Life. In it, he describes how he tricked her into allowing him sexual intercourseSexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
by convincing her that doing so (with saffron
Saffron
Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, commonly known as the saffron crocus. Crocus is a genus in the family Iridaceae. Each saffron crocus grows to and bears up to four flowers, each with three vivid crimson stigmas, which are each the distal end of a carpel...
and honey
Honey
Honey is a sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers. The variety produced by honey bees is the one most commonly referred to and is the type of honey collected by beekeepers and consumed by humans...
smeared on his phallus
Phallus
A phallus is an erect penis, a penis-shaped object such as a dildo, or a mimetic image of an erect penis. Any object that symbolically resembles a penis may also be referred to as a phallus; however, such objects are more often referred to as being phallic...
) would discharge her unwanted fetus. (It is possible the baby was conceived
Conceived
"Conceived" is the first single released by Beth Orton from her album Comfort of Strangers. It was released as a download single via iTunes on 29 November 2005, and then on CD and vinyl on 30 January 2006. It peaked at #44 in the UK official singles chart. It also peaked at #6 on the US's Triple A...
with Andrea Memmo but there is no proof of this.) Casanova’s “remedy” was not successful however and Giustiniana gave birth
Birth
Birth is the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring. The offspring is brought forth from the mother. The time of human birth is defined as the time at which the fetus comes out of the mother's womb into the world...
to an unnamed son in a convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
outside of Paris. The baby was given up to a family capable of raising him. Giustiniana disappearance during this time sparked many rumors
Rumors
Rumors is a farcical play by Neil Simon.At its start, several affluent couples gather in the posh suburban residence of a couple for a dinner party celebrating their hosts' tenth anniversary. When they arrive, they discover there are no servants, the hostess is missing, and the host - the deputy...
throughout Paris and then Venice, and eventually led to the end of any marriage plans with M. de la Pouplinière.
End of the Affair
The Wynne family finally arrived in London in 1760 and stayed for a year’s time. Society there remained closed to them for the most part and the decision to return to Venice was made. During this time, letters between Giustiniana and Memmo continued. The latter had tried to go on with his life and asked her permission to take an official mistressMistress (lover)
A mistress is a long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner; the term is used especially when her partner is married. The relationship generally is stable and at least semi-permanent; however, the couple does not live together openly. Also the relationship is usually,...
. Their time apart has changed them and even Giustiniana conceded that she no longer has a taste for marriage. Upon the family’s return to Padua, Giustiniana forbade Memmo to come to her. When they eventually did meet again, it was as fond friends.
A New Beginning
Settled again in Venice, Giustiniana accepted the hand of the Austrian ambassadorAmbassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to Venice, Philip Josef, Count Rosenberg-Orsini and married him in a secret ceremony (probably) at the Embassy. Giustiniana lived with him in Palazzo Loreden until their return to Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. She was never acknowledged by the Austrian government as a countess and after his death, she eventually made her way back to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. She never remarried and began to write stories, the first an account of a major celebration in Venice, the second a compilation, and the third a novel in French titled Les Morlacques. Her works were published in London and Venice and by 1786 she was considered a successful author.
Death
Giustiniana succumbed to (probably) uterine cancer on August 22, 1791. Andrea Memmo, (by that time a former Governor of Padua, former Ambassador to Constantinople, and then Procuratore di San Marco), visited her just before her death.Countess Giustiniana Wynne Rosenberg-Orsini is buried in the Church of San Benedetto in Padua, where a tablet in her memory can be found above the entrance portal.
Works
- Du sejour des comtes du Nord à Venise en Janvier MDCCLXXXII: Lettre de Mme la comtesse Douairière des Ursins, et Rosenberg à Mr. Richard Wynne, son frère, à Londres, Londra (1782)
- Moral and Sentimental Essays on miscellaneous subjects, written in retirement, on the banks of the Brenta, in the Venetian state (2 voll.), Londra, (1785)
- Pièces morales & sentimentales de Madame J.W.C. Ècrites à une Campagne, sur le Rivages de la Brenta, dans l'Ètat venitien A Londre chez Robson, New Bond Street (2 voll.), Londra (1785)
- Il trionfo de' gondolieri; ovvero novella viniziana plebea scritta in idioma francese da Madame G. W. C-t-ssa di R-s-g. Recata nell'italiano da L(odovico) A(ntonio) L(oschi), In Venezia nella stamperia Graziosi in S.Apollinare. Venezia (1786)
- Alticchiero, a Mr. Huber de Genève, J.C.D.R.(1786?)
- A André Memmo Chevalier de l'Etoile Dor et procurateur de Saint Marc, à l'occasion du mariage de sa fille Aineé avec Louis Mocenigo Venezia 30 aprile 1787: Stamperia Giuseppe Rosa. Venezia (1787)
- Alticchiero. Par Mad.e J.W.C.D.R. à Padoue. ma Venezia, per i tipi di Nicolò Bettinelli. (1787).
- Les Morlacques, Modena (1788), in collaborazione con Bartolomeo Benincasa.
- Du sejour des comtes du Nord à Venise en Janvier MDCCLXXXII: Lettre de Mme la comtesse Douairière des Ursins, et Rosenberg à Mr. Richard Wynne, son frère, à Londres, Elibron Classics. Chesnut Hill (2001)
- Les Morlacques Jella: Oder Das Morlachische Madchen, Part. 1-2 (1797). Whitefish, MT (USA), Kessinger publishing (2009)