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The Ruby Ring
From critically acclaimed historical novelist Diane Haeger comes The Ruby Ring , an unforgettable story of love, loss, and immortal genius . . .
Rome, 1520. The Eternal City is in mourning. Raphael Sanzio, beloved painter and national hero, has died suddenly at the height of his fame. His body lies in state at the splendid marble Pantheon. At the nearby convent of Sant’Apollonia, a young woman comes to the Mother Superior, seeking refuge. She is Margherita Luti, a baker’s daughter from a humble neighborhood on the Tiber, now an outcast from Roman society, persecuted by powerful enemies within the Vatican. Margherita was Raphael’s beloved and appeared as the Madonna in many of his paintings. Theirs was a love for the ages. But now that Raphael is gone, the convent is her only hope of finding an honest and peaceful life.
The Mother Superior agrees to admit Margherita to their order. But first, she must give up the ruby ring she wears on her left hand, the ring she had worn in Raphael’s scandalous nude “engagement portrait.” The ring has a storied past, and it must be returned to the Church or Margherita will be cast out into the streets. Behind the quiet walls of the convent, Margherita makes her decision . . . and remembers her life with Raphael—and the love and torment—embodied in that one precious jewel.
In The Ruby Ring , Diane Haeger brings to life a love affair so passionate that it remains undimmed by time. Set in the sumptuous world of the Italian Renaissance, it’s the story of the clergymen, artists, rakes, and noblemen who made Raphael and Margherita’s world the most dynamic and decadent era in European history.
Rome, 1520. The Eternal City is in mourning. Raphael Sanzio, beloved painter and national hero, has died suddenly at the height of his fame. His body lies in state at the splendid marble Pantheon. At the nearby convent of Sant’Apollonia, a young woman comes to the Mother Superior, seeking refuge. She is Margherita Luti, a baker’s daughter from a humble neighborhood on the Tiber, now an outcast from Roman society, persecuted by powerful enemies within the Vatican. Margherita was Raphael’s beloved and appeared as the Madonna in many of his paintings. Theirs was a love for the ages. But now that Raphael is gone, the convent is her only hope of finding an honest and peaceful life.
The Mother Superior agrees to admit Margherita to their order. But first, she must give up the ruby ring she wears on her left hand, the ring she had worn in Raphael’s scandalous nude “engagement portrait.” The ring has a storied past, and it must be returned to the Church or Margherita will be cast out into the streets. Behind the quiet walls of the convent, Margherita makes her decision . . . and remembers her life with Raphael—and the love and torment—embodied in that one precious jewel.
In The Ruby Ring , Diane Haeger brings to life a love affair so passionate that it remains undimmed by time. Set in the sumptuous world of the Italian Renaissance, it’s the story of the clergymen, artists, rakes, and noblemen who made Raphael and Margherita’s world the most dynamic and decadent era in European history.
371 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
About the author
Diane Haeger
22 books335 followersDiane Haeger is the bestselling author of fifteen published novels, including Courtesan, The Ruby Ring and My Dearest Cecilia. Her work, to date, has been translated into 18 different languages and has been featured in the LA Times and Harper's Bazaar Magazine. She loves telling real stories from history. She lives in California with her husband and family.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 3, 2022
L'ho letto molto tempo fa, ma ho il ricordo vivido delle emozioni che ho provato quando l'ho letto. Stupendo.
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September 4, 2011Tra realtà storica e ricostruzione romanzata l'autrice ci fa entrare dentro alla Roma del '500 e soprattutto dentro al rapporto tra Raffaello e la sua musa, la figlia di un semplice fornaio, soprannominata per questo la Fornarina, bella, innamorata con il corpo e con il cuore del suo affascinante pittore di corte, anche se forse meno innocente di come voleva presentarsi all'uomo amato...
Io l'ho immaginata e reinterpretata così in un racconto che fa parte di un libro su cui sto lavorando:
http://juliette1804.wordpress.com/201...
Io l'ho immaginata e reinterpretata così in un racconto che fa parte di un libro su cui sto lavorando:
http://juliette1804.wordpress.com/201...
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews