couperus-baud was the daughter of jan carel willem ricus theodore baud (1838–1883), an assistant resident at meester cornelis (dutch east indies) and his cousin johanna wilhelmina petronella steenstra toussaint (1844–1927). in 1890 she published, in the dutch magazine "nederland", a short story called "een galavoorstelling". she married in 1891 her cousin, louis couperus, son of john ricus couperus (1816–1902) and jkvr. catharina geertruida reynst (1829–1893). louis couperus wrote about elisabeth couperus-baud in his novel "de zwaluwen neergestreken": "we are cousins and played together as children. we still own photographs of ourselves together, when we were young." in 1893 louis couperus received a letter from oscar wilde, in which he was complemented with his novel "noodlot"; this book was translated into english by clara bell.