Maria de Abarca

Maria de Abarca, often referred to as Doña Maria de Abarca, was a seventeenth century Spanish painter active between 1630 - 1656 in Madrid, Spain.^[1][2] She was born in Madrid, however the dates of her birth and death are unknown.^[3][4] Little is known of her family, but an entry in Dr. Coombe’s Catalogue of Engravers’ Specimens suggests that her father may have been Marius Abacus.^[5] She was known for her work as an amateur portrait painter, and praised for her ability in taking likenesses.^[6] Maria de Abarca was a contemporary of Peter Paul Rubens and Diego Velázquez, who reportedly admired her work.^[4]

References

1. Pilkington, Matthew (1805). A dictionary of painters: from the revival of the art to the present period. p. 1.
2. Epstein, Vivian Sheldon (1987). History of women artists for children. Denver, Colo: VSE Publisher. p. 33.
3. Deschamps, par Ch. Gabet ; orné de vignettes gravées par M. (1831). Dictionnaire des artistes de l'école française, au XIXe siècle peinture, sculpture, architecture, gravure, dessin, lithographie et composition musicale. Paris: Chez Madame Vergne. p. 1. ISBN 3598350007.
4. Pilkington, Matthew (1824). A general dictionary of painters. London: T. McLean. p. 1.
5. Dodd, Thomas (1825). The Connoisseur's Repertorium; or, a universal historical record of painters, engravers, sculptors and architects, etc. Vol. 1.
6. Stirling Maxwell, William (1891). Annals of the artists of Spain. London: J.C. Nimmo. p. 629.

• Bryan, Michael (1886). Robert Edmund Graves, ed. Dictionary of Painters and Engravers, Biographical and Critical (Volume II L-Z). York St. #4, Covent Garden, London; Original from Fogg Library, Digitized May 18, 2007: George Bell and Sons. p. 2.