Rosanna Schiaffino: Italy’s Sophisticated Icon of the 1960s

Rosanna Schiaffino (1939–2009) was a prominent Italian actress who emerged as a major figure in post-neorealist cinema during the late 1950s and 1960s. Initially a beauty queen and a successful model featured on the covers of magazines like Life, she achieved critical acclaim for her powerful performance in Francesco Rosi’s La Sfida (1958).

Often compared to icons like Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida, Schiaffino’s career spanned over 45 films, including international productions such as The Long Ships (1964) and the award-winning La Mandragola (1965). Her blend of striking elegance and versatile acting talent established her as one of the most captivating stars of mid-20th century European cinema before she retired from the screen in the mid-1970s.

Take a look at these beautiful photos to see portraits of a young Rosanna Schiaffino in the 1960s.