Sveva Caetani (pronounced SVAY-va kay-TAN-ee), an artist and teacher in Vernon, lived an extraordinary life. In fact, her life was like a fairy tale, full of both delight and horror. As a young child, Sveva and her family fled Italy in 1921. They made a new life for themselves in Canada. Sveva was pampered by her rich and glamorous parents, and she lived like a princess. But at the age of 18, when her loving father Leone died, she became a prisoner in her own home. For 25 years, she lived as if she were under a spell. This spell was cast by her own lonely mother, Ofelia. When Ofelia died, Sveva was left out of her will, and suddenly she was penniless. She quickly had to find a job in order to support herself. Sveva became a teacher, and she taught school until her retirement. She also began to paint. At the end of her life, she had created a series of 56 large paintings she called Recapitulation. They were a summary of her unusual and troubled life. Sveva’s life was indeed a fairy tale. She went from being a beloved only child to an imprisoned daughter to a well-liked teacher and respected artist. But where did Sveva’s story begin?