Onorata Rodiani
Encyclopedia
Onorata Rodiani (Castelleone
, 1403 - Castelleone, 1452) was a "semi-legendary" Italian
painter
and condottiere
. Her home town is given as Castelleone
, near Cremona
.
of the town of Cremona
, to decorate his palace ; it is the only record of a commission given to a woman in the Quattrocento
. While she was painting a fresco
, which was her speciality, a young courtier
was indecent towards her. She killed him with a knife
and fled "disguised as a man". Flameno quotes her as saying:
. She then served with several captains, including Conrado Sforza, brother of duke
Francesco Sforza. While under his command, in 1452, she supposedly came to the aid of her hometown of Castelleone, besieged by the republic of Venice
. The siege
was raised but she was mortally wounded, carried into the town, and there, after being "recognized with great amazement", she died. Flameno concludes this episode with another quote from Onorata :
s on her name : Onorata means "honoured" in Italian, and Onorata, in both cases, speaks about "living honoured".
According to Flameno, she was buried in the parish church
of Castelleone, but a new parish church was built in Castelleone in the 16th century, and no trace of her tomb was found. Her legend is nevertheless alive in Castelleone, and two unfinished wall-paintings in the palazzo Galeotti-Vertua, thought to be the palace where Gabrino Fondolo resided, are sometimes attributed to her.
There are several versions regarding the works that Onorata was painting before having to flee. A 19th century version of her life states that she was painting in tempera
on dry plaster
, which would explain that none of her works survived to be attributed to her beyond reasonable doubt. On the other hand, if she truly did paint affresco, it would mean a long training to master this difficult technique -- "a circumstance even more remarkable, in those days when women were comparatively often to be seen in command of troops, than her serving under the condotierri". The name of another woman, Caterina dei Vigri, who was eventually canonized, appears on a tempera
painting from 1456, and it was reported by her biographer and friend that Caterina dei Vigri did indeed paint, notably miniature
s. Paintings by Caterina have recently been discovered.
As to Onorata's service as a soldier, the dates given by Conrado Flameno are coherent with what is known of military events in 15th century Italy
. This could either mean there is some truth in Flameno's account, or that he took care to frame Onorata's myth into what he knew had happened more than a century before his own period.
by Mary Gentle
, in which her episode with the Cremonese courtier is suggested to be propaganda
, but she does command a mercenary company in the novel, and meets with her counterpart and main character, Ash.
Castelleone
Castelleone is a comune in the Province of Cremona in the Italian region of Lombardy, located about 50 km southeast of Milan and about 30 km northwest of Cremona...
, 1403 - Castelleone, 1452) was a "semi-legendary" Italian
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...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
and condottiere
Condottieri
thumb|Depiction of [[Farinata degli Uberti]] by [[Andrea del Castagno]], showing a 15th century condottiero's typical attire.Condottieri were the mercenary soldier leaders of the professional, military free companies contracted by the Italian city-states and the Papacy, from the late Middle Ages...
. Her home town is given as Castelleone
Castelleone
Castelleone is a comune in the Province of Cremona in the Italian region of Lombardy, located about 50 km southeast of Milan and about 30 km northwest of Cremona...
, near Cremona
Cremona
Cremona is a city and comune in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po River in the middle of the Pianura Padana . It is the capital of the province of Cremona and the seat of the local City and Province governments...
.
Killing a cremonese courtier
The anecdote for which she is known was first related in 1590 by Conrado Flameno in his Storia di Castelleone (History of Castelleone). According to him, she was commissioned by Gabrino Fondolo, tyrantTyrant
A tyrant was originally one who illegally seized and controlled a governmental power in a polis. Tyrants were a group of individuals who took over many Greek poleis during the uprising of the middle classes in the sixth and seventh centuries BC, ousting the aristocratic governments.Plato and...
of the town of Cremona
Cremona
Cremona is a city and comune in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po River in the middle of the Pianura Padana . It is the capital of the province of Cremona and the seat of the local City and Province governments...
, to decorate his palace ; it is the only record of a commission given to a woman in the Quattrocento
Quattrocento
The cultural and artistic events of 15th century Italy are collectively referred to as the Quattrocento...
. While she was painting a fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
, which was her speciality, a young courtier
Courtier
A courtier is a person who is often in attendance at the court of a king or other royal personage. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together...
was indecent towards her. She killed him with a knife
Knife
A knife is a cutting tool with an exposed cutting edge or blade, hand-held or otherwise, with or without a handle. Knives were used at least two-and-a-half million years ago, as evidenced by the Oldowan tools...
and fled "disguised as a man". Flameno quotes her as saying:
Life as a soldier
The 1590 Storia di Castelleone goes on to say that Onorata Rodiani, while tried and pardoned by Gabrino Fondolo, entered the service of Oldrado Lampugnano, a condottiere, as a cavalryman in 1423. Flameno says that she did this "unknown to all", and then lived "with her name and her clothing changed", suggesting her as an example of crossdressing during wartimeCrossdressing during wartime
Many people have engaged in cross-dressing during wartime under various circumstances and for various motives. This has been especially true of women, whether while serving as a soldier in otherwise all-male armies, while protecting or disguising their identity in dangerous circumstances, or for...
. She then served with several captains, including Conrado Sforza, brother of duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
Francesco Sforza. While under his command, in 1452, she supposedly came to the aid of her hometown of Castelleone, besieged by the republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
. The siege
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
was raised but she was mortally wounded, carried into the town, and there, after being "recognized with great amazement", she died. Flameno concludes this episode with another quote from Onorata :
Historicity
As stated before, the historicity of Onorata Rodiani is unsure. Conrado Flameno, in both quotes he attributes to Onorata, punPun
The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
s on her name : Onorata means "honoured" in Italian, and Onorata, in both cases, speaks about "living honoured".
According to Flameno, she was buried in the parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
of Castelleone, but a new parish church was built in Castelleone in the 16th century, and no trace of her tomb was found. Her legend is nevertheless alive in Castelleone, and two unfinished wall-paintings in the palazzo Galeotti-Vertua, thought to be the palace where Gabrino Fondolo resided, are sometimes attributed to her.
There are several versions regarding the works that Onorata was painting before having to flee. A 19th century version of her life states that she was painting in tempera
Tempera
Tempera, also known as egg tempera, is a permanent fast-drying painting medium consisting of colored pigment mixed with a water-soluble binder medium . Tempera also refers to the paintings done in this medium. Tempera paintings are very long lasting, and examples from the 1st centuries AD still exist...
on dry plaster
Plaster
Plaster is a building material used for coating walls and ceilings. Plaster starts as a dry powder similar to mortar or cement and like those materials it is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after setting,...
, which would explain that none of her works survived to be attributed to her beyond reasonable doubt. On the other hand, if she truly did paint affresco, it would mean a long training to master this difficult technique -- "a circumstance even more remarkable, in those days when women were comparatively often to be seen in command of troops, than her serving under the condotierri". The name of another woman, Caterina dei Vigri, who was eventually canonized, appears on a tempera
Tempera
Tempera, also known as egg tempera, is a permanent fast-drying painting medium consisting of colored pigment mixed with a water-soluble binder medium . Tempera also refers to the paintings done in this medium. Tempera paintings are very long lasting, and examples from the 1st centuries AD still exist...
painting from 1456, and it was reported by her biographer and friend that Caterina dei Vigri did indeed paint, notably miniature
Miniature (illuminated manuscript)
The word miniature, derived from the Latin minium, red lead, is a picture in an ancient or medieval illuminated manuscript; the simple decoration of the early codices having been miniated or delineated with that pigment...
s. Paintings by Caterina have recently been discovered.
As to Onorata's service as a soldier, the dates given by Conrado Flameno are coherent with what is known of military events in 15th century Italy
History of Italy
Italy, united in 1861, has significantly contributed to the political, cultural and social development of the entire Mediterranean region. Many cultures and civilizations have existed there since prehistoric times....
. This could either mean there is some truth in Flameno's account, or that he took care to frame Onorata's myth into what he knew had happened more than a century before his own period.
In popular culture
The figure of Onorata appears in the novel Ash: A Secret HistoryAsh: A Secret History
Ash: A Secret History is a fantasy novel by author Mary Gentle. Set in the 15th century, the novel blends elements of fantasy, alternate history, and secret history...
by Mary Gentle
Mary Gentle
-Literary career:Mary Gentle's first published novel was Hawk in Silver , a young-adult fantasy. She came to prominence with the Orthe duology, which consists of Golden Witchbreed and Ancient Light ....
, in which her episode with the Cremonese courtier is suggested to be propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
, but she does command a mercenary company in the novel, and meets with her counterpart and main character, Ash.