María Rita de Barrenechea y Morante facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
María Rita de Barrenechea y Morante
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| Born | 19 May 1757 Bilbao, Spain |
| Died | 23 November 1795 (aged 38) |
| Language | Basque, Spanish |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Genre | play |
| Spouse | Juan de Sahagún de la Mata Linares |
María Rita de Barrenechea y Morante was a Spanish writer and playwright. She was also known as the Countess of Carpio and Marchioness of la Solana. Born on May 19, 1757, in Bilbao, she lived during the Age of Enlightenment. This was a time when new ideas about reason and knowledge were very popular.
María Rita is considered the first playwright from the Basque region. She was also one of the first Spanish playwrights whose plays were printed by a publisher. She was an important member of the first group of women on the Board of Ladies. This board was part of the Matritense Economic Society.
Her Life Story
María Rita de Barrenechea y Morante was born in May 1757 in Bilbao, Spain. Her parents were José Fernando de Barrenechea y Novia de Salchedo and Ana María Morante de la Madrid y Castejón. Her father was the Marquis of Puerto. Her mother was the Marquise of la Solana.
In 1761, after her mother passed away, María Rita moved with her father to Valladolid. She then joined the monastery of Las Huelgas. Here, she received her education and learned a lot about literature.
Marriage and Family
On January 3, 1775, María Rita married Juan de Sahagún de la Mata Linares. He was the 1st Count of Carpio. In 1780, they moved to Barcelona. Her husband became a Mayor of the Royal Court of Barcelona.
While in Barcelona, María Rita had two daughters. One was named María Martina, who sadly died as a child. Her other daughter was Francisca Javiera. Later, her husband was promoted to a minister. The family then moved to Madrid.
Social Connections
María Rita was a member of the Basque Society. She was also one of 14 women who helped create the Board of Ladies. This group was connected to the Matritense Economic Society. Her husband was also a member of this society.
She was good friends with María Rosa Gálvez, a playwright and poet from Malaga. When María Rita passed away, María Rosa dedicated a poem to her memory. The poem was called La noche. I sing in single verse to the memory of the Countess del Carpio.
Her Plays
María Rita de Barrenechea wrote three plays during her lifetime. These plays were titled La Aya, Catalin, and one play that does not have a known title.
La Aya was written in the early 1780s. Catalin is a type of play called a neoclassic sentimental comedy. An unknown publisher printed Catalin in Jaén in 1783.
For a long time, María Rita's work was not widely recognized. However, in 1998, her play Catalin was republished by Ararteko. This helped people appreciate her writing more.
Goya's Painting
A few months before she passed away, María Rita became a model for a famous artist. She posed for Goya's painting called Portrait of the Marquise de la Solana. This painting is now kept in the Louvre Museum in Paris.
María Rita de Barrenechea passed away on November 23, 1795, in Madrid. She had been ill for some time.
See also
In Spanish: Rita de Barrenechea para niños
