Story

Antonia Fiermonte was a beautiful, talented violinist and painter who, at only 17 years old, met the sculptor Renè Letourneur in Rome, a talented exponent of Art Deco who had come to Villa Medici to receive the ‘Grand Prix de Rome.’ It was love at first sight; René fell in love with the young artist, who followed him to France and became his muse, model, wife, and mother of their daughter, Anne.

At the same time, however, Antonia also won the heart of Rene's best friend and colleague, Jacques Zwobada. After several troubled years, she succumbed to her passion, divorced René, and married Zwobada in his place. Shortly afterwards in 1956, she tragically died when she was only 42 years old. Zwobada went mad with grief, dedicating a Mausoleum to her in Mentana, close to Roma. René was also devastated by this loss, and the shared grief brought the two artist friends closer together.