Maria Josefa Ascargorta y Rivera facts for kids

María Josefa Ascargorta y Rivera (born around 1800 in Madrid, Spain, and passed away in 1850) was a talented Spanish painter. She lived during a time when it was challenging for women to become professional artists, but she worked hard to achieve her dreams.

Her Artistic Journey

María Josefa began her art studies at a special school for ladies in Madrid. This school was part of the important Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, which is a famous art academy in Spain. There, she learned from a well-known artist named Vicente López Portaña.

Her drawings were so good that her teachers noticed them right away. They showed her work to the Academy's main meeting in January 1820. In November 1821, she was given a special job along with Luisa Marchori. They became "proofreaders" for the Academy, earning 1,000 reales each year. This was a good amount of money for the time.

María Josefa wanted to become a full member of the Royal Academy. She created a copy of a famous painting called Christ of the Nazarene by Luis de Morales. This copy is still at the Royal Academy today. However, after a private vote, the Academy decided not to make her a full member. Instead, in November 1828, they gave her the title of "supernumerary." This meant she was an honorary member, but not a full one with all the same rights.

Luisa Marchori, another student, also received the same honorary title. María Josefa wrote a letter to the Academy's Secretary about this. She thanked them for the title, even though it wasn't exactly what she had hoped for. She mentioned that the title of "supernumerary" was new and had never been used before at the Academy.