This is the tale of Luisa Casati Amman, otherwise known as ''The Marchesa'', an Italian heiress whose life ambition was to transform herself into a living, breathing work of art. She was obsessed with beauty and extravagance, and devoted her entire family fortune to purchasing the means to astonish her contemporaries with her daredevil style. But her originality extended to more than just the adornment of her own person; she embellished her whole life with a succession of fantastical parties, large houses, ostentatious pets and outrageous public appearances. But, as ever, such exorbitance can hardly last forever... This intriguing biography traces the rise and fall of one of the 20th century''s most fascinating personalities.