Veronica Franco β was an Italian poet and courtesan in 16th-century Venice. She is known for her notable clientele, feminist advocacy, literary contributions, and philanthropy. Her humanist education and cultural contributions influenced the roles of Courtesans in the late Venetian Renaissance. In her notable works, Capitoli in Terze rime and Lettere familiari a diversi " Familiar Letters to Various People" , Franco uses perceived virtue, reason, and fairness to advise male patricians and other associates.
She exercised greater autonomy in her authorship than any other traditional Venetian woman due to her established reputation and influence. Veronica Franco was born to a family in the Cittadino class. They served in contrast to other sex workers such as cortigiana di lume or meretrice 'harlots' , who were lower-class prostitutes.
Franco received a respectable humanistic education at a young age from her brother's tutor, an unusual opportunity for Venetian women. She continued her education by mixing with learned men, writers, and painters. She was able to use her education to contribute considerably to literary and artistic outlets. Franco learned additional skills from her mother, Paola Fracassa, who had an interest in finding suitable clients for her, as well as marrying her off.
She supported her children along with a household of tutors and servants for most of her life. Franco wrote two volumes of poetry: Terze rime in and Lettere familiari a diversi in She became involved in the s with Domenico Venier 's renowned literary salon in Venice, who served as a literary adviser not only to male writers but also to many women poets of the Veneto region.
She studied and sought patrons among the learned. In , during the epidemic of plague that ravaged the city, Franco was forced to leave Venice and lost much of her wealth when her house and possessions were looted.
