19 Facts About Veronica Franco

Veronica Franco is known for her notable clientele, feminist advocacy, literary contributions, and philanthropy.

Veronica Franco exercised greater autonomy in her authorship than any other traditional Venetian woman due to her established reputation and influence.

Veronica Franco was born to a family in the Cittadino class.

Veronica Franco received a respectable humanistic education at a young age from her brother's tutor, an unusual opportunity for Venetian women.

Veronica Franco continued her education by mixing with learned men, writers, and painters.

Veronica Franco was able to use her education to contribute considerably to literary and artistic outlets.

Veronica Franco learned additional skills from her mother, Paola Fracassa, who had an interest in finding suitable clients for her, as well as marrying her off.

Veronica Franco supported her children along with a household of tutors and servants for most of her life.

Veronica Franco wrote two volumes of poetry: Terze rime in 1575 and Lettere familiari a diversi in 1580.

In 1565, when she was about 20 years old, Veronica Franco was listed in the Catalogo de tutte le principal et piu honorate cortigiane di Venetia, which gave the names, addresses, and fees of Venice's most prominent prostitutes; her mother was listed as the person to whom the fee should be paid.

From extant records, we know that, by the time she was 18, Veronica Franco had been briefly married and had given birth to her first child; she would eventually have six children, three of whom died in infancy.

Veronica Franco became involved in the 1570s with Domenico Venier's renowned literary salon in Venice, who served as a literary adviser not only to male writers but to many women poets of the Veneto region.

In 1575, during the epidemic of plague that ravaged the city, Veronica Franco was forced to leave Venice and lost much of her wealth when her house and possessions were looted.

That same year saw an outbreak of plague in Venice, one that lasted two years and caused Veronica Franco to leave the city and to lose many of her possessions.

In 1580, Veronica Franco published her Lettere familiari a diversi which included 50 letters, as well as two sonnets addressed to King Henry III of France.

Veronica Franco's success was not limited to being a coveted courtesan.

Veronica Franco's work is known to have been included in an anthology of women poets in the 18th century that was edited by Luisa Bergalli.

Veronica Franco is portrayed in the 2012 Serbian novel named after her authored by Serbian writer Katarina Brajovic.

Veronica Franco's publications have allowed her work and proto-feminist efforts to transcend time.