Noble Beast: The Stardom and Sadness of Petrus Gonsalvus
It was the evening of July 25th 1547 and France was celebrating its newly crowned ruler, King Henry II. After leading an already turbulent life that included spending time as a hostage in Spain Henry was finally ascending the throne, and yet his rise to power was not the only thing occupying the minds of those around him that night. For many, the big topic of conversation was about one of his gifts. It was small in stature and looked about with frightened eyes. But this was no animal, this creature was a ten-year-old human boy. And now, presented in the gift box of an iron cage, he officially belonged to the king of France.
What was of little interest to those staring all around him was that this boy had a name and a story. He was born Pedro Gonzalez and until recently his home was Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Gonzalez was stolen from his homeland and presented before royalty because of his very rare and undeniable appearance. Born with the genetic condition known today as congenital hypertrichosis, Pedro was completely covered with a layer of hair making him the living picture of the vicious "wild men" of myths and lore. In the 16th century any appearance that differed from the norm automatically made the bearer a "curiosity" and after his debut as a novelty he was brought to the dungeon for observation. The court doctors kept watch over young Pedro overnight, waiting for some hint of the savage behavior that was expected of him but by dawn they all had come to the same conclusion, he was simply a polite little boy covered in hair "soft as sable.” Intrigued by the doctor's findings, Henry II came up with a new goal. He was going to conduct a long-term experiment to see if he could turn his "wild man" into an educated gentleman. He began by giving him the revised Latin name of Petrus Gonsalvus.
As Gonsalvus's education progressed so did the utter shock of everyone in King Henry's court. He adapted quickly to wearing the clothes of a nobleman and completely absorbed his lessons in etiquette, speech, reading, and writing, becoming fluent in three languages. Gonsalvus rose through the ranks and eventually held a place of honor in the king's court alongside people that only years earlier would have considered him a wild animal. However, despite working his way to respect, he was never truly considered an equal due to his appearance. The initial experiment may have been successful, but it did not end once he took his seat amid the upper crust.
Formal portrait of Petrus Gonsalvus
When he was in his early twenties, Gonsalvus's world was rocked when Henry II died after a jousting accident on July 10th 1559. With his protector and mentor now gone and the lines of his status being blurred, he was placed under the ownership of Henry's widow and regent, the cruel Catherine de Medici.
Catherine undoubtedly remembered the fervor when Pedro Gonzalez came to court, and she now saw her situation as an oppurtunity. People like Petrus were rare, and rare meant that they were valuable. He had proven he could learn and live as a nobleman, so why should he not marry and have children, valuable children, like any other nobleman? She set out to find a woman to be his wife and after an extensive examination of candidates and she found a young French woman (also named Catherine) to fill the roll. This young Catherine was the daughter of a royal court servant and some accounts say she was chosen by the Queen specifically to see what would happen when someone with such beauty was matched with someone with the appearance of a beast. Up until her wedding day the bride remained totally unaware of Petrus's condition, only becoming aware of his appearance when they met at the altar.
Approximately one year after their wedding Petrus and Catherine welcomed their first child, a son, which showed no trace of his father's genetic affliction. Their second child, another son, was also free of hair but their third and fourth children carried the gene making them covered in the same soft hair as their father. Catherine de Medici was simply delighted, in her mind her experiment had worked and the outcome was a "wild family" of her own creation. In total the pair had seven children, four of which were covered in fur, and the family of oddities began to tour Europe appearing before royal courts to the delight and fascination of everyone who laid eyes on them.
Illustration of Petrus and Catherine Gonsalvus
The Gonsalvus family became one of the most famous families in Europe and their touring cemented them not only to many memories, but also to works of art. In 1582 Duke Albrecht IV of Bavaria had their portraits painted with the family donning rich clothing to further accentuate their unusual appearances. In the 1590s the family visited Switzerland where they were studied extensively by anatomist Felix Plater who later published his findings and an account of their time with him. The same decade found them in Bologna, again having their images put on paper and their physical bodies being examined by Count Aldrovandi. After extensive traveling the family settled in Parma, Italy under the care of Duke Ranuccio Farnese. At first glance it may have seemed that the Gonsalvus family was living the dream, but the truth was as much of a contrast to that image as the elaborate dresses surrounding the soft faces of fur.
Although they were highly regarded by all noble company, the family was still considered less than human and were never truly free. They lived under the care of Farnese but this meant that he essentially owned them. Desperate to make his own living, Gonsalvus asked the duke for work and he was put in charge of a nearby estate where he was to maintain the surrounding lands and vineyards. But, despite giving him this taste of normalcy the duke of Parma still did not regard the family as equals and he handled them like his own personal property. Portraits of the children were commissioned to be given as gifts, but only of those afflicted with their father's condition. Although these portraits were treasured, some with deep pockets simply wanted more and the duke was more that willing to oblige. The four Gonsalvus children that were covered in fur were gradually given away as gifts by Duke Farnese separating them from their family forever. The duke gave one of the youngest children, Antoinetta, to his mistress Lady Isabella Pallavicina, a story that is documented in a portrait of little Antoinetta where she is shown holding up a letter with words clearly telling the tragic story of her own family.
Portrait of little Antoinetta with the story of her family presented for all to read.
As the family was broken up the remaining pieces began to fade from the public eye with one of the last accounts of Petrus and Catherine stating that they had obtained a home in Capodimonte, Italy, an estate still ruled by the duke who took them in and broke them apart with greed. It was here that Petrus and Catherine Gonsalvus were finally able to have some of the peace and solitude that had alluded them their entire married lives.
The last few years of Petrus and Catherine Gonsalvus are shrouded in mystery. At the state archive in Capodimonte records from their time are still maintained and the yellowed pages record that Catherine Gonsalvus died in the year 1623. However, the last mention of Petrus is recorded in 1617 when he attended the christening of his grandson. There is no record of the death of Petrus Gonsalvus, indicating that he did not receive the Christian sacraments upon his demise. After everything he had endured, from capture and imprisonment to rising through the ranks only to have his family torn apart, it is possible that at his death Gonsalvus was denied the last rites of the living, still being considered more creature than man.
In 1740 a French author by the name of Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve published a tale in the La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins (The Young American and Marine Tales). Originally the length of a novel, the tale was adapted and published by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont in 1756 as a cautionary tale to teach young girls a lesson. The story was fanciful, filled with fairies, a castle, a father in trouble, a beautiful woman trapped by circumstance, and a tragic and transformed prince. The story, entitled La Belle et La Bête, has stood the test of time being brought to audiences through multiple adaptations in film, television, and theater. The title is simple but intriguing, inviting readers into the wondrous tale of Beauty and the Beast and unknowingly giving them a taste of a true royal tragedy.
The graves of Petrus and Catherine Gonsalvus have never been located.
