Belarius

something about this painting clicks with me, and i'm not sure how much of it is because of the artist Boldini, and how much of it is because of the model Casati.

after googling the painting, i was surprised to find through a series of links a page containing photos of the depicted woman's gravestone, along with a description of her life.

this section stood out to me:

She titillated her chosen society by promenading with a pair of leashed cheetahs in diamond collars, taking evening strolls, naked beneath a fur, and wearing live snakes as jewelry. The gardens of her palazzo featured albino blackbirds and an exotic animal menagerie.

extravagant exotic animals‑flavoured socialite.
she's quite the characterr