13.4.12
Iris Origo (1902- 1988)
Iris Margaret Origo, daughter of Ango-Irish Sybil Cutting, was born in London on 15 August 1902 – Her American father William ‘Baynard’ Cutting, died within seven years of her birth – but he set his wife the task of ensuring that their only child was brought up “somewhere that she doesn’t belong”-preferring France or Italy to either England of America” – As a result Sybil Cutting brought her child to Italy to be brought up – specifically as a’stranger’ – in the Villa Medici in Fiesole, just outside Florence.
Iris was educated through a variety of governesses, friends and neighbours – including Bernhard Berenson, who lived not far away from their Villa di Medici in Fiesole at I Tatti.
In 1924 she married Antonio Origo, the illegitimate son of Marchese Clemente Origo – and became Marchesa of Val d’Orcia, and ultimately a DBE for her writing and care of evacuated children during the second world war.
Iris lived in Italy, but travelled widely and after her marriage devoted much of her life to the improvement of their Tuscan estate at La Foce, in Val d’Orcia, which she purchased with her husband in the 1920s and improved with money given to her by her American grandmother – who didn’t like to visit a home without ample supplies of running water!
One of my favourite books of all time is her autobiographical account of her life , as a anglo- american , living in Italy during the war.
Writing at night and burying her work in the garden so the Nazis never found it Iris Origo wrote a fresh account of her life as it had to be lived behind the enemy lines during the war years! Her home was besieged by Germans looking for food and mattresses, partisans living in their forests who needed food and medical care, sickly Jews trying to escape from Italy through the countryside, and more and more children needing safe accommodation after their homes had been bombed by the approaching “Allies”.
Finally, La Foce became the “Front line” – and they had to move out – on foot – with 23 children – some babes in arms being carried by other children – being strafed by Allied planes as they made their way to Montepulciano. Their arrival at Montepuliciano, where the residents ignored the Nazi curfew and poured down the hill from the walled town to help them to safety is one of the most moving stories I have ever read – I cannot recommend War in Val D’Orcia highly enough for anyone who is interested in what life might have been like in Italy during the confusion of the war years after the Italians had changed sides!
Also an interesting read is the biography of Iris Origo by Caroline Moorhead
I have attached a link to my blog about our visit to La Foce in May 2011 and I am delighted that we have a booking for another group to visit on Wednesday 16 May this year as part of our Tuscan Garden Tour 2012 with garden historian Dr Katie Campbell.
Please contact me asap if you are interested in joining us as we may need to organise a second mini-bus and May is a busy period for our drivers!
contact details
penny.howard1@ntlworld.com or 00447979464640 –
or if you are in Italy (0039)734331681
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