Thursday 15 September 2011

The Baroness of Carini







My next page for the Sketchbook Project 2012  is not a particularly secret place but it holds many secrets.
I love to visit creepy old castles, I'm really hoping to find a ghost!  This is Castello di Carini and when I read about it's secrets I just had to go and have a look.

The castle is high up on a hill surrounded by the town of Carini and once was the home of Donna Laura Lanza, the beautiful wife of the Baron of Carini.  She married young into a loveless marriage,  in 1563 her husband found Laura  with her lover Ludovico.
The Baron  immediately summoned Laura's father and in the middle of the night the castle was surrounded.  Laura was killed by her father to defend the family's honour and Ludvico was murdered by the Baron, putting a tragic end to the prohibited love.

According to the legend the dying lovers tried to reach each other and in doing so Laura leant on the wall for support leaving a handprint in blood!

The handprint can still be seen.....



I was disappointed to find that the handprint had been painted on with new gloss paint so that was a let down.  But the story is good and of course Laura's ghost still wanders around the castle!






It was still an interesting place to visit, we were left to wander around alone, getting lost in all the beautiful rooms.
Alas we saw no ghosts

12 comments:

bettyfromtexas said...

What a GREAT and tragic love story this castle holds! It is a bit of a bummer about the handprint, but otherwise, the story is so compelling! And your page is brilliant, Cathy!!

erleichda said...

i love such stories...i mean not the killing part but the ghost part... even if one do not meet them in "person" - or because of it ; )

Lucia B. said...

It' s a moving story, I've always loved stories of Love and Death! Your search for secret, unknown places is very interesting for me!

Ann said...

Wonderful page and your use of color is so elegant - it's perfect with the hand print! Love the story too.

Alex said...

Fantastic perspective! I admire all the details, as well as the subtle elements, and beautiful colors!

Unknown said...

Fabulous story Cathy, thanks for sharing. A great page for the sketchbook too.

Ellen Burkett said...

Wonderful work and wonderful story!

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful story! We are watching 'The Borgias' on tv at the moment ...... lots of sex but not a lot of history!!

Unknown said...

Loved the story and your drawing!

Anonymous said...

Wonderful post and super drawing!
The tale you tell reminds me of a poem I love - My Last Duchess by Robert Browning. Those were cruel times!

nanke's stuff said...

What a wonderful story and a beautiful little painting. The hand print in the corner is a wonderful touch! nancy

Sasa Saastamoinen said...

What a story! Red handprint makes it all more real, spooky...