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Cheney, Edward. "Letter of Beatrice Cenci, with Remarks on Her Portrait by Guido." Philobiblon Society, Vol. 6, 1861, p. 2-8. Edited by Cajsa Baldini Horizontal lines are used to indicate page breaks on the original document. A line break is used to indicate new paragraph in the original document. For exact page layout of the original, please refer to facsimile version. Sensation Literature students: You do not need to supply facsimile versions of your scanned originals for this assignments. I have included them here so that you will be able to see my original documents and make comparisons with the hypertext produced./C.B. |
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LETTER OF BEATRICE CENCI, COMMUNICATED |
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IT has been obeserved, and perhaps not without truth, that the interest which the melancholy fate of Charles I. has excited, is to be attributed less to his misfortunes than to the beautiful representations of him which have been multiplied by the pencil of Vandyk throughout the galleries and palaces of Europe, and which seem to make a perpetual protest against the cruelty and injustice of his persecutors. Beatrice Cenci is not less indebted for the commiseration of posterity to the surpassing type of beauty which bears her name in the gallery of the Barberini palace at Rome. |
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The authenticity of this picture, however, has been questioned. That it is painted by Guido is, I believe, incontestable ; but there is little evidence excepting tradition to prove that it represents the Cenci. Sir John Simeon, in a note upon his interesting account (see the fourth Volume of our Miscellany) of her trial and execution, observes "that Shelley spoke of the celebrated portrait as existing in the Colonna palace instead of that of the Barberini, where it is now, and where he believes it has always existed, and he concludes that the memory of the poet has deceived him." Shelley is, however, perfectly correct, and the fact itself is by no means unimportant. Since he wrote the picture has been transferred from the Colonna to the Barberini collection. 'The Princess Barberini, as daughter |
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and co-heiress of the last Constable Colonna, divided the unentailed portion of the picture-gallery with her two sisters, the Princess Rospigliosi and the Duchess Lante, and to her this celebrated portrait was adjudged. It was originally painted for the Colonna family, and its authenticity derives from this circumstance its best support. The Colonna family was closely allied to that of the Cenci ; and it is not probable that a spurious portrait was suffered to pass in their palace for an original. It is possible also that the interest of a powerful and influential family might have been sufficient to obtain access for the painter to the beautiful prisoner, for the purpose of drawing her likeness; but as no mention is made of this circumstance, and as the severity of her imprisonment was excessive, it is, I must admit, very improbable. |
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It is not improbable, however, that Guido,* who was at Rome the time of the execution, might have witnessed her passage from to the scaffold (the concourse on that occasion was prodigious), and, if so, her extraordinary beauty might, nay must have made a deep impression on the susceptible imagination of the young painter; and nothing is more probable than that he should have endeavoured to perpetuate the beautiful vision on his return to his painting room. That the person here represented did impress him very deeply, whoever it may be, is proved by the reproduction of the same features and costume in several of his subsequent |
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pictures. The portrait, moreover, bears a strong resemblance to the description given of the unhappy Beatrice in the various manuscript accounts of her fate, and the tradition in the Colonna family is of sufficient weight to justify us in entertaining a belief which is so peculiarly agreeable. The autograph letter which I reprint as a contribution to the present Volume of our Miscellany is, I believe, the only existing record of her, which can claim undoubted authenticity. It was addressed by her to the judge of the criminal court and has been preserved in the archives of the Count Cenci-Bolognetti at Rome, who represents the family in the female line, and is still in possession of a portion of their property. This copy was procured for me by the kindness of a friend who holds the office of Archivista (keeper of the archives) in that family. |
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M. Illre Sigre. Mio Ossmo, Son certa che V. S. fa tanto che non è possibile di far più
umanamente ; mi piace che il proceso fia pigliato, e del resto lafaro
fare al Sigre Prospero Farinacio e V. S. che son
certa fa di core; veda per lamor di Dio aiutarci come sempre a fato e
degnato** . . . vengi un poco qui da noi che meglio
si potrà parlare e li baso la mano questo dì 22 di Agosto
1599.
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*Guido was born in 1574 ; he was consequently 25 years old when the Cenci was executed in 1599. He visited Rome in his youth, and resided there several years. He died in 1642. ** Here the manuscript is illegible from tears having blotted it. |
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