Katharina Schweickhardt

This miniature portrait shows Katharina Wilhelmina Schweickhardt around 1797. Bilderdijk became acquainted with her when he arrived in London as an outlaw. Because he had no income, he tried to earn a living as a teacher in various subjects. One of his students was Schweickhardt, a lovely person with blond hair and blue eyes. She was nineteen years old, gentle in character and very talented: she was musically gifted, enjoyed embroidery and was a talented illustrator. Her greatest gift lay in the field of poetry. In 1813 she published a collection of poems for children, which was reprinted several times.

Bilderdijk taught her Italian in England, the ‘language of lust and luxury’. He was soon on fire. He showered her with fiery poems and dozens of love letters, written in the language that connected them: Italian. The 39-year-old called on his student to open her heart to him – and his love was returned. Together with his new lover, he left for Germany in 1797.