Virginia Wales Johnson was an American novelist active during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Born in Brooklyn, New York, on December 28, 1849, she was the daughter of parents who originally came from Boston, Massachusetts. Rather than attending public or private institutions, Johnson was educated entirely at home, a background that fostered her early interest in literature and writing.
A pivotal moment in Johnson's life and career occurred in 1875, when she chose to leave the United States and relocate to Florence, Italy. Settling in Tuscany, she spent the next several decades living and writing abroad, contributing to the rich tradition of American expatriate literature of her era. She remained in Florence for the rest of her life, passing away there on January 16, 1916.
