Mozart wrote the song on 6 November 1787 in Prague where here prepared the premiere of his opera Don Giovanni.
[1]: 153 Four of the songs were indeed by Jacquin, Mozart's other contribution to this collection was "Als Luise die Briefe ihres ungetreuen Liebhabers verbrannte", K. 520.
Mozart dedicated a considerable number of his works to the Jacquin family, notably the Kegelstatt Trio.
Jacquin dedicated this song to Marianne von Natorp, sister of Joseph Franz von Jaquin's wife, Babette;[2] both the Natorp sisters were also the dedicatees of Mozart's Sonata in C major for piano four-hands, K. 521, composed earlier in 1787.
Mozart indicates in a letter from 4 November 1787 that this song may have improved Marianne Natorp's affection towards Jacquin.
Nach jedem Fenster blick' ich hin, Wo nur ein Schleier wehet, Und habe meine Lieblingin Noch nirgends ausgespähet.
Now I search for you, full of pain, now by the village linden tree, now in the town, beloved image, and cannot find you anywhere.
And bring that swan-white hand, that has my heart stolen, that purple-red bodice ribbon, that bunch of violets.
[5] However, the version Mozart used is very different, following the publication of a collection of Hölty's poems by Friedrich Leopold zu Stolberg-Stolberg and Johann Heinrich Voß in 1783.