Johanna Cornelia Wattier (Rotterdam

Rotterdam

Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...

, 13 April 1762 - Voorburg

Voorburg

Voorburg is a Dutch town and former municipality in the western part of the province of South Holland, the Netherlands. As also Leidschendam and Stompwijk, it is part of the municipality Leidschendam-Voorburg. It has approximately 39,000 inhabitants....

, 23 April 1827) was a Dutch actress, known for her performances in Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...

. She made her debut at 15 in 1778 in Rotterdam and in 1780 at the Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam. After a few years she became the latter's main actress.

Biography

Born to dancer Jean Baptiste Wattier and Anna Cornelia de Bourghelles. Married to sculptor Bartholomeus Wilhelmus Henricus Ziesenis (1762-1820) in 1801. she debuted already as a child on the stage of Rotterdam with her siblings. In 1780, she was active in Amsterdam. She debuted there as Margaretha in a tragedy of William Havre Korn (1753? -1826). She became known as a great tragedienne, and was in 1784 made premier actress. She also toured. Wattier was the student of Marten Corver and is remembered as an example of the new natural way of acting, which became fashionable during her time at the stage. She was described as a natural talent, expressive and with s beautiful voice. In 1800, she was the highest paid actor in her country. In 1806, Louis Bonaparte invited her to perform in Paris, and at the visit of Napoleon in Amsterdam, she performed for him, which impressed him so much he gave her a pension. She retired from the stage in 1815.