Beatrice Cenci

Raffaello Romanelli
Italy, 1856-1928
Beatrice Cenci
Marble. Presented to the Des Moines Women’s Club in memory of Belle Kendall by Governor Nate Kendall in 1926. The artist studied with his father, Pasquale Romanelli (1812-1887), who in turn had studied with the sculptor Bartolini. Raffaello taught at the Academy, and his son was sculptor Romano Romanelli. The subject of this marble sculpture, Beatrice Cenci (1577-1599), was executed in Rome for the murder of her father, Francesco, who had repeatedly abused her for years. His behavior towards his wife and son was equally cruel and they, along with Beatrice, decided to kill the father. Though it appeared at first as if the family had successfully carried out their plan, eventually all were arrested and, at the order of Pope Clement VIII, subjected to torture, followed by gruesome deaths. The common people of Rome recognized the ravages of Francesco and were sympathetic, especially to the 22-year-old Beatrice, but the Pope, nevertheless, had her beheaded. Because of Francesco’s wealth and noble background, he was never prosecuted for his crimes. Beatrice and her tragic fate became a popular legend in Rome as an example of injustice, and she was often depicted in art and literature as a sad, soulful and beautiful young woman, as she is here in this rendition from the early 20th century. The Florentine artist, Raffaello Romanelli, based his sculpture on a 17th century painting by Guido Reni which became an inspiration for plays and stories about Beatrice. It was common to employ two different kinds of marble: white for the face and multicolored for her garment. Belle Woodin Kendall was the wife of Nathan E. Kendall, governor of Iowa from 1921 to 1925. After her sudden death in Naples, Italy, in 1926, her husband gave this sculpture in her memory, and he also endowed a theater in Des Moines, the Belle Kendall Playhouse, which is known as the Des Moines Community Playhouse today.