Hedvig Ibsen

Hedvig, painted by Grandjean in 1840, eight years old

Hedvig Cathrine Ibsen (married name: Hedvig Stousland; 15 November 1831 in Skien - 15 June 1920 in Skien) was the sister of playwright Henrik Ibsen, with whom he was particularly close during their childhood. She was the daughter of Knud Ibsen and Marichen Altenburg, and was named for her maternal grandmother, Hedevig Paus. The character Hedvig in The Wild Duck is widely believed to be named for her and/or her grandmother.^[1]

She married ship's captain Jacob Stousland, and was the mother of merchant and politician Carl Stousland (1860–1941), who served as a Member of Parliament for Skien and as the Mayor of Skien.^[2]

References

1. Joan Templeton, Ibsen's women, Cambridge University Press, 1997, p. 1ff.
2. NSD: Carl Stousland