Amalia Von Königsmarck

Countess Amalia "Emilie" Wilhelmina Lewenhaupt (née von Königsmarck) (20 August 1663 – 30 January 1740) was a Swedish noblewoman of German descent who became known as a dilettante painter, actor, and poet.

Life

Amalia Wilhelmina von Königsmarck was born in Stade, a daughter of Count Kurt Christoph von Königsmarck (1634–1673) and Countess Maria Christina von Wrangel-Lindeberg (1638-1691). She was the sister of Philip Christoph von Königsmarck, Aurora von Königsmarck and Karl Johann von Königsmarck and a paternal niece of Otto Wilhelm von Königsmarck.

Amalia Königsmarck belonged to the royal court-dilettantes who were among the students of David Klöcker Ehrenstrahl. Her known paintings include a self-portrait from 1688, a portrait of her sister Aurora, a portrait of the noblewoman Katarina Ebba Horn from 1698, and a portrait of Sophia Dorothea of Hanover. She was encouraged to participate in the amateur theatre of the royal court by the queen, Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark. In the winter of 1683–84, a group of female courtiers performed the Swedish premier of '' Iphigénie'' by Jean Racine at court. In the play, Johanna Eleonora De la Gardie acted the part of ''Iphigénie'', Amalia Königsmarck the part of ''Achilles'', Aurora Königsmarck the part of ''Clitemnestre'', Augusta Wrangel the part of ''Agamemnon'', and Ebba Maria De la Gardie the part of ''Eriphile''. This is regarded as a significant event, as it was the first play performed by an all-female cast in Sweden and symbolized the introduction of French classicism to the country.
Amalia Königsmarck also wrote poetry. Her poetry was published by Hanselli in the 19th century.

She married count Carl Gustaf Lewenhaupt (1662–1703) in the presence of the royal family on 5 January 1689 and became the mother of ten children, only three of whom survived into adulthood:
* Emilia Aurora Lewenhaupt (1690 – before 1699), died in childhood
* Charles Emil Lewenhaupt (1691 – 1743), twin of Ulrika Augusta
* Ulrika Augusta Lewenhaupt (1691 – 1719), twin of Charles Emil. She married Staël von Holstein.
* Fredrik Königsmarck Lewenhaupt (1696 – 1770), an army officer
* August Kasimir Lewenhaupt (1697 – unknown), died in childhood
* Amalia Aurora Lewenhaupt (1700 – 1700), died in infancy
* Herminus Gustaf Lewenhaupt (1701 – 1702), died in infancy
* Three other children who were stillborn or died shortly after birth

In addition, Amalia Lewenhaupt suffered three miscarriages: in 1693, 1694 and 1702. After her marriage, she was constantly pregnant and on the move, which is why art was no longer a priority in her life.

In 1695, Amalia Lewenhaupt convinced her spouse to enlist in the service of Augustus II the Strong, who was at that time the lover of her sister Aurora. Because of this, her spouse was sentenced to confiscation of property and death in his absence by Charles XII of Sweden in 1703, during the Great Northern War.Minnespenningar öfver enskilda svenska män och qvinnor The same year, however, her spouse died in exile in Hamburg in Germany. She returned to Sweden in 1722. Upon her return to Sweden, she brought with her the fortuneteller Höffern.

In 1740, Amalia Lewenhaupt died in Övedskloster, aged 76. She was thus spared the sorrow of seeing her firstborn son, Charles Emil Lewenhaupt, condemned to death and executed for treason in 1743.

References

Sources

* Svenskt konstnärslexikon (Swedish Art dictionary) Allhems Förlag Malmö
* Lars Löfgren: Svensk teater (Swedish theatre) Natur & Kultur, Stockholm 2003, sid. 46. .
* Königsmarck, släkter, urn:sbl:11939, Svenskt biografiskt lexikon, hämtad 2015-01-21.
* Minnespenningar öfver enskilda svenska män och qvinnor

Further reading

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Konigsmarck, Amalia Wilhelmina
1663 births
1740 deaths
17th-century Swedish painters
18th-century Swedish painters
18th-century Swedish women artists
17th-century women artists
17th-century Swedish actresses
Swedish stage actresses
Swedish poets
Swedish countesses
People from Stade
People from the Swedish Empire
Swedish people of German descent
Swedish women painters