Albert Verwey

In his youth, he lost both his parents, caused by tuberculosis. Verwey began to write poetry early in life. In 1880 he translated poems by Samuel Coleridge, Byron, Shelley, and Wordsworth. After finishing high school Verwey worked at a securities office. Because Verwey was very good in English, the 18-years-old Verwey was invited by the Dutch directors of the Maxwell Land Grant to join them as translator to Cimarron, New Mexico. His first book of poems, titled Persephone after the Greek goddess, was published in 1883. In 1885 he was a co-founder of the periodical De Nieuwe Gids (“The New Guide”), the chief magazine of the Dutch literary revival of the 1880s. Verwey contributed sonnets and other poetry. In 1888 his translation of Gulliver's Travels was published. Verwey was a close friend of the prominent 'Tachtiger' poet Willem Kloos, and a love affair developed between the two poets, that was unprecedented in Dutch literature. Their relation ended in 1888. In 1889 he failed his Latin examinations. In the same year, his collected poems were published for the first time, with added translations of Christopher Marlowe. In 1890 Verwey married and moved to a house called Villa Nova in Noordwijk aan Zee. Novelist, poet and psychiatrist Frederik van Eeden became his brother-in-law. Verwey was involved in the decoration of the Beurs van Berlage, a "synthesis of the arts". For a time he was influenced by Spinozism and Socialism through his wife. Since 1895 he was friends with the esoteric German poet Stefan George, whose work he translated. From 1924 till 1935 Verwey was a professor at the Rijksuniversiteit Leiden. Verwey translated and promoted medieval poetry in search of passion, vision, and dreams. Although no Dutch writer has ever won the Nobel Prize in Literature he is among the Dutch writers to have been nominated by multiple people. Verwey was a prolific writer; apart from his 25 volumes of poetry and three separate 'collected poems' his prose works were published in ten volumes designed in art-deco. At the University of Amsterdam his carefully kept correspondence (of 20,000 letters) can be consulted. • Illustration — 'Stoa', wall poem in Leiden • Illustration — Poem on the Beurs van Berlage, the Amsterdam commodity exchange • Illustration — Tomb in Noordwijk • Illustration — Bust in Noordwijk

Albert Verwey studied at Leiden University. The recorded working language is Dutch. Places of work recorded in the authority are Amsterdam and Leiden. Employment is recorded with Leiden University. Positions recorded include full professor. Work by Albert Verwey is recorded in the collections of Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam.

The authorities additionally record the headings Albert Verweij, A. Verwey and A. His recorded language was Dutch. He married Kitty van Vloten. 3 children are recorded: Mea Verwey, Gerlof Verwey and Jan Verwey. Other recorded relations include Johannes van Vloten, Martha van Vloten and Betsy van Vloten.

Albert Verwey is recorded as poet, translator, writer, university teacher and professor.