Caroline Icardo

Aqua Tofana

"Aqua Tofana” portrays the poison that Guilia Tofana and her daughter concocted to sell to would-be widows, some with abusive husbands. The poison was marketed as a cosmetic to avoid suspicion. Containing arsenic, lead and belladonna, it was a colorless, tasteless liquid and therefore easily mixed with water or wine to be served during meals. Death was slow, and symptoms were generic and easily confused with other illnesses.