The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1882-12-28
Elfsabetta Siranl.

Among tho followers OF Guido Reni,
this young woman, who died whom but
twenty-five years old, Ii conspicuous
for her talents and interesting on ne
count Of tho story Of her life. She aas
the daughter 81 n reputable artist, and
Was born at Bologna about 16I9. She
was certainly very industrious, since
one Of her biographers names one hum
.lred and fifty pictures md ctchings
made by hcr, and MI thcse must have
been done within q period Of about ten
years.
Much has bccn snid OF the ensc md
rapidity with which slie worked; ono
anccdote relates that on mn occasion
when II happened that the Duchess of
Brunswick, the Duchess OF Mirandola,
and Duke Cosimo de- Meaici with 9TH
or persons, all met at her studio, she
astonishcl and delighted them bv tho
case and skill with which she skctchcd
and shaded drawings of the subjects
which one after another named to her.
The story Of her life, aside from her
art, gives M nndying interest to her
name, and insnres her remembrance for
all time. In person she was beautiful,
aud the sweetness of her character md
manner won for her the love Of MI those
who were associated with her. She was
also n charming singer, and was ever
ready To give pleasure to her friends.
Her admiring biographers also COM
mend her taste in dress. which was very
simple; and they even go so far rs to
praise her for her moderation IN eating!
She was well skilled in MI domestic
~. la. fn
perform her lowly household duties,
never allowing her art to displace tho
homelv occupations which properly, as
she thought, made q part Of her life.
Elisabctta Sirani's name has come
down through two hundred and sevcn-
| teen years rs one whose devoted iilial
affection, feminine grace, ana artless
benignity Of manner added l,ster to
her great talents, and completed per-
sonalty which her friends regarded as
an ideal Of perfection.
The sudden death of this artist has
added tragic element to her story.
| The cause OF il has never been known,
hut the theory that she died from poi
son, has been very generally accepted.
Several reasons for this crime have
been given: one Is, that she was sacri-
feed to the jealousy of other artists. rs
Domcnichino had hcen; another belief
was that princelv lover. whom She
had treated With scorn, had taken her
/ life because she had dared to place her.
self, III her lowly station, above lnisrank
and power.
4 servant girl named Lucia Tolamcl-
Ii, who had been long in the service Of
the Sirani family, was suspected and
tried for this crime. She was sentenced
to hanishment: hut, after time, Lisa
hctta's father requested that Lucia
should be allowed to return, rs he had
no reason for believing her guilty. And
SO the mystery Of the cause of her death
has never been solved: hut its effect up
on the whole city of Bologna, where it
occurred. is an exact matter OF history.
The entire people felt personal loss
in her death, and the day Of her burial
| was one Of general mourning. Tie ccr-
emonies of her funeral were attended
with great pomp. and she was buried
beside her master, Guido keni, III tho
chapel uf Our Lady of the Rosary. Ill
the magnificent Church ef the Domini-
cans. Poets and orators We'd with one
another in sounding her praises, and a
book published soon after ler death,
called "lipcnnello l.agrinsato, il 4 col
lection of orations. sonnetS. uacs, ana
grams. and eritapls III both Latin and
Italian. all telling Of the love for her
which filled the city, and describing tho
charms and virtues Of this gifted artist.
Her portrait il in the Ercolani Gallery
at Bologna" Stories OF .ili and .lft-
ists," by Mfs. Clement, in ST. Nicno-