Dangerous Beauty (1998)
Fictionalized story of Veronica Franco - one of the Venetian cortigiana onesta, - upper - class cortisans of 16th century. Cortisans of her rank were expected to be "accomplished" in many of the ways young noblemen were. She was well read, savvy in political matters, and was a published poet.
One of her lovers included Henry the III of France.
A painting of the "real deal":::