Vittoria Colonna, Duchess of Sermoneta

Vittoria Colonna Caetani, Duchess of Sermoneta (London, 29 November 1880 - 1954) was an Italian writer, best known for her Memorie, translated into English as Things Past (1929).^[1][2]

Born daughter of the Duke of Paliano Marcantonio VI Colonna while he was stationed in London, she was brought up in the Palazzo Colonna and married in 1901 to Leone Caetani, later Duke of Sermoneta and Prince of Teano.

The couple had a son, Onorato (1902 - 1948), who was mentally and physically disabled.^[3] Leone left his wife behind in Italy in 1921 (or 1927) emigrating to Canada with his mistress, and their daughter, later artist Sveva Caetani.

Works

• Memorie, Things Past (English, 1929)^[4]
• The Blind Goddess (English 1947)

References

1. The Atlantic - Volume 179 - Page 82 1947 "THE BLIND GODDESS by VITTORIA DI SERMONETA This tale was written in times when it would have been dangerous to publish it, for levity was not allowed in connection with Fascism. Now war has swept over Italy, Mussolini has gone,... Her autobiography, Things Past, was published by Appleton in 1929. ....other towns, like a bee in a herbaceous border, she finally settled down in Rome; and, as she adored local color
2. Maria Ferrari Bandini Buti Poetesse e scrittrici Volumes 1-2 - Page 163 COLONNA CAETANI DI SERMONETA VITTORIA, nata a Londra il 29 novembre 1880. compì i suoi studi a Roma, vivendo ... La sua rinomanza già salda ebbe più cospicua affermazione, quando vennero pubblicate le ((Memorie» (nel 1937 in ...
3. Marella Caracciolo Chia, The light in between, Pushkin Press 2013, 978-1908968050
4. Sermoneta, Vittoria (Colonna) Caetani, duchessa di, 1880– Things past, by Vittoria Colonna, duchess of Sermoneta; foreword by Robert Hichens. New York, D. Appleton and company, 1929.