| Admin/Biog History | Luisa Vertova (1920-2021) was an Italian art historian. She studied art history and archaelogy at the University of Florence in the 1940s. She was awarded a scholarship to study abroad, but did not take this up since, for Italians during wartime, 'abroad' was limited to Hitler's Germany and not an appealing prospect. In 1943 she was introduced, through a friend of her father, to Bernard Berenson. They met again in 1945 and at this time, Berenson - concerned about Luisa's health which had seriously declined due to malnutrition from wartime deprivation - invited Vertova to his home near Vallombrosa to recouperate. He was so impressed with her abilities that, when she had recovered, he asked her to live and work at I Tatti. She became Berensons researcher, translator and curator of his famous Lists of Italian Renaissance paintings' and worked for him until his death in 1959.
It was whilst working in this capacity that Vertova first met Nicolson. Their first encounter at I Tatti is recorded in his 1949 diary (LBN/1, entry for 10 October). Following this meeting Nicolson wrote to Vertova proposing that they correspond with each other (LBN/3 letter from Nicolson to Vertova, dated 10 October 1949). The archive includes little correspondence from this time but from 1953 they began a regular exchange of letters. In 1954 Nicolson proposed to Vertova by letter They met in person infrequently during this period and were finally wed in August 1955 at the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence.
Vertova moved to England and a daughter, Vanessa, was born in 1956. The marriage soon became strained because, having left her career and family in Italy, Vertova felt isolated and trapped. Perhaps the most significant factor was what Nicolson referred to as his 'congenital homosexuality'. In 1962 they were divorced.
Vertova returned to Florence where she continued to publish books and articles on Italian art. Her research mostly focused on Renaissance Italian painters such as Piero della Francesca, Mantegna, Paolo Veronese, Titian, Botticelli and Caravaggio. From 1959 until the 1980s she worked as a senior consultant on Italian art for Christies. In 2018 she gave the Federico Zeri Foundation the books, photographs, auction catalogues and documents she had amassed during her career with Christie's.
Luisa Vertova died in 2021. Personal and professional papers relating to her work with Berenson were donated to I Tatti in 2023.
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| Description | The letters in this series are predominantly personal in nature. The focus of their concern is the relationship between Nicolson and Vertova. They begin in earnest in 1953 and are extensive during the period leading up to their marriage in 1956. Letters exchanged during this time are largely concerned with the practical and emotional implications of marriage. In particular, they discuss the sexual element of their relationship, Nicolson having revealed to Vertova in a sealed letter (not included in the archive) that he was a 'congenital homosexual'.
Following their marriange, the necessity of letter writing having largely been removed - the archive contains fewer letters after 1956. However, Vertova made regular visits to Florence and Nicolson travelled widely with work and during these period of separation, the correspondence resumes. The letters from this period are largely concerned with practical issues such as running a household and raising a small child.
The letters also include discussion of Vertova's life at I Tatti: her work, Berenson, other occupants of the villa (including in particular, Alda & Nicky Berenson/Mariano), visitors and social life. They also include discussion of Nicolson's work with the Burlington and, in particular, his collection of reference images. Fnally, they include discussion of other relationships, mutual friends and acquaintances; health and politics.
The letters are best read alongside those written by Nicolson to Vertova [see LBN/3] |