Louisa Stuart Costello facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Louisa Stuart Costello
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Born | 9 October 1799 ![]() |
Died | 24 April 1870 ![]() |
Louisa Stuart Costello (born October 9, 1799 – died April 24, 1870) was a talented writer and artist. She was known for her travel books and stories about French history. People believe she was born in either Ireland or Sussex, England.
Contents
Early Life and Artistic Talent
Louisa Costello lived in Paris, France, near the River Seine. She often traveled and stayed with friends instead of having one permanent home. Her brother, Dudley Costello, was also a well-known travel writer.
Louisa became a very skilled artist by the age of 15. She specialized in painting tiny, detailed pictures called miniature paintings. Her earnings from these paintings helped support her mother. She also helped her brother while he studied at Sandhurst.
A Prolific Writer and Historian
Louisa Costello wrote more than 100 different texts. These included articles, poems, and songs. She was also a historian, meaning she studied and wrote about the past.
She knew many famous people of her time. These included writers like Sir Walter Scott, Charles Dickens, Lord Byron, and Thomas Moore. Her father, Colonel James Francis Costello, passed away in 1814 while fighting against Napoleon.
Published Works and Popularity
Among Louisa's many published books was Memoirs of Eminent Englishwomen (1844). She even illustrated this book herself! She also wrote several popular books of poetry and travel.
Her collection of poems, Songs of a Stranger, was dedicated to William Lisle Bowles. After 1815, she lived mostly in Paris. There, she continued her work as a miniature-painter.
Travel Books and French History
Louisa Costello's travel books were very popular. One of her early works was The Maid of the Cyprus Isle (1815). Her novels often focused on interesting parts of French history.
Another important book was Specimens of the Early Poetry of France (1835). Her book The Rose Garden of Persia (1887) shared versions of poems from Persia. This book featured illustrations that looked like old Persian artworks.
Louisa Stuart Costello passed away in Boulogne sur Mer, France, in 1870.