Lifespan: 1766-1817
Nationality: Swiss
Genres: Sentimentalism; Liberalism
Types of Work: Novels
Contemporaries:
Style: .
Bio: Madame de Stael was born Anne Louise Germaine Necker in Paris, France in 1766. Her father was a prominent Swiss banker and statesman and was the Director of Finance for King Louis XVI of France. Her mother was Suzanne Curchod, famous in her own right as the earl love of Edward Gibbon, and also as the mistress of one of the most popular salons of Paris. Eventually, her father was dismissed from the ministry and the family moved to the Swiss village of Coppet.
In 1786, she married Baron Erik Magnus Stael von Holstein, a man 17 years her senior. Her husband was made the Swiss Ambassador to France, providing Madame de Stael with a high position at court. Their marriage was successful but loveless.
After the French Revolution, she moved back to Coppet, and, after a falling out with Napoleon, was forbidden to return to France. She then spent several years travelling the continent until Napoleon was deposed. She died on July 14, 1817 in Paris.
Anne Louis, energetic and boisterous, began to write very early but did not publish. The first noteworthy of her publications was Delphine, published in 1802. She published many more works, all of which were written in French.
Novels:
Sophie
Jeanne Grey
Corinne: or, Italy
Germany
Signora Fantastici
Delphine