Madame de Staël

Madame de Staël

Anne Louise Germaine de Staël was born to Swiss parents Jacques and Suzanne Necker in April 1766 in Paris, France. There are many connections that people make with Madame de Staël's name--perhaps they think of Napoleon, who was displeased with her for her lack of support during his regime--and yet he still kept an eye on her, unable to forget about her.
Perhaps they think of her father, Director of Louis XVI's treasury. He was, in many ways, the true love of her life, such was her devotion to him.
They may also think of her mother, Madame Necker's, famous salon, where the young Germaine often spent time amongst it's members, including Voltaire. By the age of thirteen, Madame Necker was sending critiques to Germaine on the quality of her work.
However, what she should be most well-known for is her literary salon at her family home in Nyons, Switzerland, the Chateau Coppet. Still owned by her descendants to this day, Coppet was a place where Germaine gathered the brightest minds around her in order that they may entertain, inspire, and learn from each other. Guests included Lord Byron, Chateaubriand, the Countess of Albany, Andrew Bell, and Ludwig of Bavaria.
She was also an author of many books, including Corinne, and held in much regard for her writing-both at the time and following. While she believed that women were in some ways lesser than men, she did not see herself as part of this idea, and acted very much as their equal- politically, intellectually, etc. It was her unique upbringing in her mother's salon which most likely fostered this strong sense of self, and this strong woman whose own salon would attract so many famous male writers and thinkers of the time.

Chateau Coppet