Courageous and politically incorrect women

Beatrice Cenci (1577–1599) – a patricide absolved by Romans, commemorated by the city

Courageous and politically incorrect women

Fillide Melandroni (1581–1618) – niejednoznaczny portret znanej rzymskiej kurtyzany

Courageous and politically incorrect women

Giulia Farnese Orsini – black-eyed ad black-haired papal mistress

Courageous and politically incorrect women

Imperia Cognati - the most famous courtesan of Renaissance Rome

Courageous and politically incorrect women

Christina of Sweden (1626–1689) – a significant, yet cumbersome papal guest

Courageous and politically incorrect women

Marcella (approx. 325–410) – a curious erudite from Aventine Hill

Courageous and politically incorrect women

Marozia (892? – 936?) – „beautiful as a goddess and fiery as a wench”

Courageous and politically incorrect women

Paula of Rome (347–404) – an example of womanly virtues

Courageous and politically incorrect women

Pauline Borghese (1780–1825) – a French provocateur in the papal chapel

Courageous and politically incorrect women

Silvia Ruffini (approx. 1475–1561) – a lonely, quiet widow, with a group of a cardinal’s children

Courageous and politically incorrect women

Theodora the Elder (? – 928?) – a prostitute or a woman of „truly manly strength”?

Courageous and politically incorrect women

Tullia d’Aragona (1508? – 1556) – the queen of literary salons

Courageous and politically incorrect women

Vanozza Cattanei (1442–1518) – the unofficial wife of the pope and the official mother of his children