# Comte Altamira — The Red and the Black character guide

> Comte Altamira in The Red and the Black by Stendhal.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Altamira, Comte Altamira, poor Altamira, comte Altamira, Count Altamira

**First appearance:** 0039-chapter-xxxix-the-ball

## Snapshot

An Italian nobleman condemned to death in his homeland, whose grave dignity and conspiratorial past make him the one figure in Paris Julien genuinely respects.

## Who they are

A liberal exile moving through the salons of the Faubourg Saint-Germain, he carries the romance of a man who has looked at a scaffold and kept his composure. His quiet friendship with Julien, and his willingness to discuss Danton and danger without flinching, feeds Mathilde's fascination with heroic destinies. He matters as a mirror of the novel's political undercurrents and as the rare aristocrat whose courage Julien does not have to fake.

## In the story

### [Chapter XXXV. Sensibility And A Great Pious Lady](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_and_the_black_br/chapters/chapter-xxxv-sensibility-and-a-great-pious-lady)

A Liberal and believer condemned to death in his own country; Julien is struck by his contrast of devoutness and love of liberty.

### [Chapter XXXIX. The Ball](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_and_the_black_br/chapters/chapter-xxxix-the-ball)

Shares his revolutionary experiences and cynical views on French society with Julien, influencing his reflections.

### [Chapter XLVII. An Old Sword](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_and_the_black_br/chapters/chapter-xlvii-an-old-sword)

Mentioned as someone who might involve Julien in a conspiracy.

### [Chapter LV. The Ministry Of Virtue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_and_the_black_br/chapters/chapter-lv-the-ministry-of-virtue)

Advises Julien on Madame de Fervaques and introduces him to Don Diego Bustos for further insight.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_and_the_black_br/characters/comte_altamira
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_and_the_black_br
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_red_and_the_black_br/characters