Anna Louisa Geertruida Bosboom-Toussaint
Encyclopedia
Anna Louisa Geertruida Bosboom-Toussaint (Alkmaar
, September 16, 1812 – The Hague
, April 13, 1886) was a Dutch
novelist.
, a chemist
of Huguenot
descent, gave her a fair education, and at an early period of her career she developed a taste for historical research
, fostered by a forced indoor life as a result of weak health.
Her first romance
, Almagro, appeared in 1837, followed by De graaf van Devonshire ("The Earl
of Devon
shire") in 1838; De Engelschen te Rome ("The English at Rome") in 1840, and Het Huis Lauernesse ("The House of Lauernesse") in 1841, an episode of the Reformation
that has been translated into many Europe
an language
s. These stories, mainly founded upon some of the most interesting epochs of Dutch history, betrayed a remarkable grasp of facts and situations, combined with an undoubted mastery over her mother tongue, although her style is sometimes involved and not always faultless.
Ten years (1840–1850) were mainly devoted to further studies, the result of which was revealed in 1851–1854, when she published a series of three novels dealing with the first Earl of Leicester
's adventures in the Low Countries
. In 1851 she married the Dutch painter, Johannes Bosboom
(1817–1891), and thereafter was known as Mrs Bosboom-Toussaint.
After 1870 Geertruida Bosboom-Toussaint abandoned historical romance for the modern society novel, but her Delftsche Wonderdokter ("The Necromancer
of Delft
", 1871) and Majoor Frans ("Major
Frank", 1875) did not command the success of her earlier works. Majoor Frans has been translated into English
(1885). Mrs Bosboom-Toussaint's novels have been published in a collected edition (1885–1888).
Note: until 1851, when Geertruida Toussaint married Johannes Bosboom, her works were published under her maiden name (A.L.G. Toussaint). Later works and reprints of her earlier works carried her married name (A.L.G. Bosboom-Toussaint).
Alkmaar
Alkmaar is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of Noord Holland. Alkmaar is well known for its traditional cheese market. For tourists, it is a popular cultural destination.-History:...
, September 16, 1812 – The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, April 13, 1886) was a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
novelist.
Life and career
Geertruida Toussaint's fatherFather
A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...
, a chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
of Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
descent, gave her a fair education, and at an early period of her career she developed a taste for historical research
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, fostered by a forced indoor life as a result of weak health.
Her first romance
Romance novel
The romance novel is a literary genre developed in Western culture, mainly in English-speaking countries. Novels in this genre place their primary focus on the relationship and romantic love between two people, and must have an "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending." Through the late...
, Almagro, appeared in 1837, followed by De graaf van Devonshire ("The Earl
Earl
An earl is a member of the nobility. The title is Anglo-Saxon, akin to the Scandinavian form jarl, and meant "chieftain", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. In Scandinavia, it became obsolete in the Middle Ages and was replaced with duke...
of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
shire") in 1838; De Engelschen te Rome ("The English at Rome") in 1840, and Het Huis Lauernesse ("The House of Lauernesse") in 1841, an episode of the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
that has been translated into many Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an language
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
s. These stories, mainly founded upon some of the most interesting epochs of Dutch history, betrayed a remarkable grasp of facts and situations, combined with an undoubted mastery over her mother tongue, although her style is sometimes involved and not always faultless.
Ten years (1840–1850) were mainly devoted to further studies, the result of which was revealed in 1851–1854, when she published a series of three novels dealing with the first Earl of Leicester
Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester
Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, KG was an English nobleman and the favourite and close friend of Elizabeth I from her first year on the throne until his death...
's adventures in the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
. In 1851 she married the Dutch painter, Johannes Bosboom
Johannes Bosboom
Johannes Bosboom was a Dutch painter and watercolorist of the Hague School, known especially for his paintings of church interiors....
(1817–1891), and thereafter was known as Mrs Bosboom-Toussaint.
After 1870 Geertruida Bosboom-Toussaint abandoned historical romance for the modern society novel, but her Delftsche Wonderdokter ("The Necromancer
Necromancy
Necromancy is a claimed form of magic that involves communication with the deceased, either by summoning their spirit in the form of an apparition or raising them bodily, for the purpose of divination, imparting the ability to foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge...
of Delft
Delft
Delft is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland , the Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam and The Hague....
", 1871) and Majoor Frans ("Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Frank", 1875) did not command the success of her earlier works. Majoor Frans has been translated into English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
(1885). Mrs Bosboom-Toussaint's novels have been published in a collected edition (1885–1888).
Works
- Almagro (1837)
- De Graaf van Devonshire: romantische épisode uit de jeugd van Elisabeth Tudor ("The Earl of Devonshire, Romantic Episode from Elisabeth Tudor's Youth", 1838)
- Engelschen te Rome: romantische épisode uit de regering van paus Sixtus V ("The English at Rome, Romantic Episode from Pope Sixtus V's Reign", 1839)
- Het huis Lauernesse ("The House of Lauernesse", 1840)
- Lord Edward Glenhouse (1840)
- De prinses Orsini ("The Princess of Orsini", 1843)
- Eene kroon voor Karel den Stouten ("A Crown for Charles the Bold", 1842)
- De graaf van Leycester in Nederland ("The Earl of Leicester in the Netherlands", 1846)
- Mejonkvrouwe De Mauléon ("Lady De Mauléon", 1848)
- Don Abbondio II (1849)
- Het huis Honselaarsdijk in 1638 ("The House of Honselaarsdijk in 1638", 1849)
- De vrouwen van het Leycestersche tijdvak ("The Women of the Leicesterean Era", 1850)
- Media-Noche: een tafereel uit den Nijmeegschen vredehandel, 1678 ("Media Noche, a Tableau from the Nijmegen Peace Trade", 1852)
- Gideon Florensz: romantisch-historische épisode uit het laatste tijdperk van Leycesters bestuur in Nederland ("Gideon Florensz, a Romantic-Historical Episode from the Last of Leicester's Administration in the Netherlands", 1854)
- Graaf Pepoli: de roman van een rijke edelman ("Count Pepoli, a Rich Nobleman's Tale", 1860)
- De triomf van Pisani ("Pisani's Triumph", 1861)
- De verrassing van Hoey in 1595 ("Hoey's Surprise of 1595", 1866)
- De Delftsche wonderdokter ("The Nectromancer of Delft", 1871)
- Majoor Frans ("Major Francis", 1875)
- Raymond de schrijnwerker ("Raymond, Master Carpenter", 1880)
- Volledige romantische werken ("Complete Romantic Works", 1885–1888)
Note: until 1851, when Geertruida Toussaint married Johannes Bosboom, her works were published under her maiden name (A.L.G. Toussaint). Later works and reprints of her earlier works carried her married name (A.L.G. Bosboom-Toussaint).