Mme de Staël as Corinne
painted by Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun
Name: Anne Louise Germaine Necker
Username: Madame de StaëlDate of birth: 22 April 1766, in Paris
Occupation: writer, host of literary, political and philosophical salons , advicing politicians, travelling all over Europe
Main works: Delphine, Corinne, De l'Allemagne
Main challenge: enduring exile due to Napoleon's suspiciousness on her political views and surviving the Reign of Terror after the French Revolution
Quote from Corinne: To be totally understanding makes one very indulgent
Frederic Harrison on Madame de Staël
"In Delphine a woman, for the first time since the Revolution, reopened the romance of the heart which was in vogue in the century preceding¨"
Her works, "precede the works of Scott, Byron, Shelley, and partly of Chateaubriand, their historical importance is great in the development of modern romanticism, of the romance of the heart, the delight in nature, and in the art, antiquities, and history of Europe."
Katie Daffan on Madame de Staël
She was the first woman to make a place for herself in the literary world; she stood far ahead of any woman of her time. By her pen, which was always brilliant, though sometimes sarcastic, she pleaded for that which was true and permanent, and condemned the false and unstable. Her charm, manner, and wonderful power in conversation brought to her side many who were first admirers and later sympathizers.
Read more about her fascinating life on The Collective Biographies of Women
