Aurore von Haxthausen


Aurore von Haxthausen, known also by her artist pseudonym as Klara Kuhlman, was a Swedish author, composer, pianist and lady in waiting.
She was the daughter of the State Councillor and Governor of Halland County, Baron Carl Henrik Gyllenhaal and Aurore af Nordin and married in 1873 to the Danish noble at the Danish legation in Stockholm, Frederik Ferdinand von Haxthausen.
From 1857 until 1871, she was a favored maid of honor and confidante of the Swedish queen, Louise of the Netherlands. She was known at court for her wittiness and talent for cheering people up as well as for her piano improvisations: a typical episode of all these qualities was when she, at one occasion when Louisa had reprimanded a chamber maid, eased the tension by improvising the whole episode on piano.
Aurore von Haxthausen wrote several compositions for piano which was given on public concerts: one of them was, for several years, often played during the annual opening of parliament. She also published a collection of novels: Från svenska hem.

Selected works