Catharina Questiers

Catharina Questiers reading a poem (with paper in hand), by Adriaen van Ostade.

Catharina Questiers (21 November 16313 February 1669) was a Dutch poet and dramatist. Along with Cornelia van der Veer and Katharyne Lescailje, she was the most successful female Dutch poet of the second half of the 17th century. Her brother David also achieved some note as a poet.

Family Catharina Questiers was born and died in Amsterdam. Her parents were Salomon Davidsz. Questiers (1590–1636) and Elisabeth Jan (1593–1660). The family originally came from the Flemish Ypres. Her father had a thriving plumbing business in Amsterdam Warmoesstraat. Catherine was the youngest of 6 children born in the house, and was suspected to come from a Roman Catholic background.

When Catharina first began writing plays for the Republic, she was the youngest person to ever do so. Furthermore, she was one of the first female writers of her time, which created a great deal of interest amongst her male co-authors. Actor and playwright Jan van Daalen wrote in the preliminaries, "How a woman's image can make such heifers,” alluding to Catharina Questiers for the first play that she'd written for the Republic.

Marriage The Battle for Laurels was Catherina's final publication. Her career ended when she wed on April 19, 1664, in Amsterdam Leiden, to a merchant, named Johan Cough (1627-1673). Although they never had any children, the two remained married until her death in 1669, five years later. Casimier, of gedempte Hoogmoet (Casimir, or the muted arrogance)(1656) D'Ondanckbare Fulvius en Getrouwe Octavia (The ungrateful Fulvius and Faithful Octavia) (1665) Laurel-stryt (Laurel battle) (1665)

Poetry

Wintry evenings, stories or Dutch (Amsterdam, 1649). Comical olipodrigo (Amsterdam 1655). Klioos stall 2 (London 1657). Amsterdam-pulp mixture 1 (1658). Flower Wreath of several poems (Amsterdam 1659). Joan Blasius, Fidamants kisses, and love-by-wysen Rymen to Celestyne (Amsterdam 1663). Clioos Cytter (Amsterdam, 1669 [1st printing 1663]).

Primary texts by Catherine Questiers Catherine Questiers, "On a drawing of Mars and Venus. In: The first part of the Amsterdam-Moez mixture (1658) Catherine Questiers, 'New-year, two of festoon cornucopia and shells on AH. IB-income. " In: The first part of the Amsterdam-Moez mixture (1658) Catherine Questiers, "None of both. In: The first part of the Amsterdam-Moez mixture (1658) Catherine Questiers, "Vryheydts-loff (Ode to freedom). In: The first part of the Amsterdam-Moez mixture (1658) Catherine Questiers, "The Drum Major laughing depiction of January." In: The first part of the Amsterdam-Moez mixture (1658) Catherine Questiers, "On the depictiond of FD Painter, HV-income Sculptor. In: The first part of the Amsterdam-Moez mixture (1658) Catherine Irish Quest, "On Fidamant, Kisses and Love on his singing." In: Fidamants kisses, and love-by-wysen Rymen to Celestyne (1663) C. Barlaeus, H. Beaumont, Francois Le Bleu, Cornelis Boey, Marcus Zuerius Boxhorn, Henrick Bruno, Jacob van der Burgh, Jacob Cats, Jeremias de Decker, George Rataller Doubleth, Daniel Heinsius, Nicholas Heinsius, PC Hooft, Daniel Mostart, H. Nierop, Catharina Questiers, Anna Maria van Schurman, Joost van den Vondel and Jacob Westerbaen, "Command, poems, etc. of the Corn Flowers (1658). In: Poems. Part 6: 1656-1661 (1896)