We have many antique French postcards of this beautiful Victorian Edwardian diva, Lina Cavalieri.
"La Cavalieri" had quite a colorful life! She was orphaned at age 15, and ran away from a convent orphanage to tour Italy with a theater troupe. She sang at cafes and music halls in Vienna and Paris, and by age 20 was famous across Europe.
Lina Cavalieri studied with the top singers of the day, but was known as much for her beauty, fiery temperament, and love of emeralds as for her pleasant voice. She boasted over 800 marriage proposals, of which she accepted four! She was also famously generous. She campaigned on behalf of orphans, performed for troops during WWI, and worked as a nurse during WWII. She died in an air raid in Florence in 1944 at age 70.
This lovely lady with the faraway eyes was a very popular subject for photo postcards during the Edwarian era of the early 20th century. She appears many times in the actress categories on our Lunagirl Victorian Edwardian Vintage Ladies Photos CDs, and her image is understandably popular with collage artists. Shown here is a postcard that I have restored and embellished with soft tint. I love the details on her dress, especially the pearls. But what holds your attention is her face...
I will work on more brief bios of vintage actresses and divas...