Doña María Josefa Alonso-Pimentel y Téllez-Girón ''
iure uxoris
''Jure uxoris'' (a Latin phrase meaning "by right of (his) wife"), citing . describes a title of nobility used by a man because his wife holds the office or title ''suo jure'' ("in her own right"). Similarly, the husband of an heiress could becom ...
'' Duchess of Osuna, ''
suo jure
''Suo jure'' is a Latin phrase, used in English to mean 'in his own right' or 'in her own right'. In most nobility-related contexts, it means 'in her own right', since in those situations the phrase is normally used of women; in practice, especi ...
'' 12th Duchess of Benavente (26 November 1752 – 5 October 1834), was a Spanish
Salonnière
A salon is a gathering of people held by an inspiring host. During the gathering they amuse one another and increase their knowledge through conversation. These gatherings often consciously followed Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "ei ...
, famous as a patron of artists, writers and scientists and an important figure of the Spanish
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment or the Enlightenment; german: Aufklärung, "Enlightenment"; it, L'Illuminismo, "Enlightenment"; pl, Oświecenie, "Enlightenment"; pt, Iluminismo, "Enlightenment"; es, La Ilustración, "Enlightenment" was an intel ...
. She was the first female (honorary) member of the royal
Sociedad Económica de Amigos del País de Madrid as well as the first president of the royal
Junta de Damas de Honor y Mérito.
Biography
She married
Pedro Téllez-Girón, 9th Duke of Osuna
Pedro de Alcántara Téllez-Girón, 9th Duke of Osuna, Grandee of Spain (in full, es, Don Pedro de Alcántara María Cayetano Ciriaco Rafael Domingo Vicente Téllez-Girón y Pacheco, noveno duque de Osuna, décimo marqués de Peñafiel, conde ...
in 1771. The couple had many children; her possessions and noble titles were absorbed thereto by the Osuna family.
She was a noted figure of the Spanish Enlightenment. Soon after her marriage, she established a famous
literary salon
A salon is a gathering of people held by an inspiring host. During the gathering they amuse one another and increase their knowledge through conversation. These gatherings often consciously followed Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "ei ...
in her Palace near the royal palace in Madrid, which became a center of the French influenced Enlightenment in Spain, were science, culture, literature and art was discussed between aristocrats, foreign diplomats and artists. She played an important role in the ongoing social change in 18th-century Spain, in which women participated more fully in society and played a more active social role.
In 1787, she became the first President of the
Junta de Damas de Honor y Mérito. It was a substantial pioneer role, since learned societies and academies was an important part of the Age of Enlightenment, but women's inclusion in them had been posed until the establishment of the Junta de Damas. She used her chairmanship to engage the society in work such as the education of poor girls and the rehabilitation of women criminals.
When the French invaded Spain in 1808, she fled from Madrid via Seville to Cadiz, where she lived until the French left Spain in 1814.
The Duchess and her husband were among the most important aristocrats who became patrons of the painter
Francisco de Goya
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (; ; 30 March 174616 April 1828) was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker. He is considered the most important Spanish artist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His paintings, drawings, and e ...
. The Duchess not only purchased one of the first editions of ''
Los Caprichos
''Los caprichos'' (''The Caprices)'' is a set of 80 prints in aquatint and etching created by the Spanish artist Francisco Goya in 1797–1798, and published as an album in 1799. The prints were an artistic experiment: a medium for Goya's cond ...
'', but also commissioned a series of cabinet paintings on the subject of witchcraft from Goya, amongst them ''El aquelarre'' (''
Witches' Sabbath
A Witches' Sabbath is a purported gathering of those believed to practice witchcraft and other rituals. The phrase became popular in the 20th century.
Origins
In 1668, Johannes Praetorius published his literary work "Blockes-Berges Verrichtu ...
''). In the famous portrait Goya painted of her, she is shown standing with noble reserve, and dressed according to the fashion initiated by Queen
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette Josèphe Jeanne (; ; née Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last queen of France before the French Revolution. She was born an archduchess of Austria, and was the penultimate child a ...
in Paris at that time. In another famous painting, Goya portrayed the ducal family. One of her children was
Joaquina Téllez-Girón, Marchioness of Santa Cruz, who was also portrayed by Goya.
The Duchess was interested in landscape gardening and from the 1780s she developed a garden at
El Capricho
El Capricho is a villa in Comillas (Cantabria), Spain, designed by Antoni Gaudí. It was built in 1883–1885 for the summer use of a wealthy client, Máximo Díaz de Quijano. Unfortunately the client died a year before the house was completed. ...
, the family estate at
Alameda de Osuna
Alameda de Osuna is a ward (''barrio'') of Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the ...
, near Madrid. The garden, which survives in good condition, shows English and French influence.
Full name and title
In full, her Spanish name and titles were: ''
Doña
Don (; ; pt, Dom, links=no ; all from Latin ', roughly 'Lord'), abbreviated as D., is an honorific prefix primarily used in Spain and Hispanic America, and with different connotations also in Italy, Portugal and its former colonies, and Croatia ...
María Josefa de la Soledad Alonso Pimentel Téllez-Girón Borja y Centelles, décimo quinta condesa y décimo segunda duquesa de Benavente, décimo tercera duquesa de Béjar, décimo tercera duquesa de Plasencia, décimo segunda duquesa de Arcos, décimo cuarta duquesa de Gandia, novena duquesa de Mandas y Villanueva, octava marquesa de Jabalquinto, décimo quinta marquesa de Gibraleón, novena marquesa de Terranova, décimo segunda marquesa de Lombay, décimo sexta marquesa de Zahara, décimo octava condesa de Mayorga, décimo sexta condesa de Luna, décimo tercera condesa de Bañares, séptima condesa de Belalcázar, décimo cuarta condesa de Oliva, décimo primera condesa de Mayalde, décimo segunda condesa de Bailén, décimo segunda condesa de Casares, décimo quinta vizcondesa de la Puebla de Alcocer, 6 veces Grande de España, principessa di Anglona, duchessa di Monteagudo, marchesa di Marguini, contessa di Osilò e di Coguinas en Cerdeña, dama de la Orden de María Luisa''.
Ancestry
Additional information
Images by Francisco Goya
Image:The Duke of Osuna by Goya.jpg, ''The 9th Duke of Osuna'' (1798)
Image:Duchess Countess of Benavente by Goya.jpg, ''The Duchess of Osuna'' (1785)
Image:Los duques de Osuna y sus hijos.jpg, ''The 9th Duke of Osuna and his young family'' (1788)
Image:Retrato de la Marquesa de Santa Cruz.jpg, ''The Marchioness of Santa Cruz'' (1805)
Image:Duchess of Abrantes by Goya.jpg, ''The Duchess of Abrantes'' (1816)
Image:10th Duke of Osuna by Goya.jpg, ''The 10th Duke of Osuna'' (1816)
Paintings by Francisco Goya for the Duke and Duchess
File:GOYA - El aquelarre (Museo Lázaro Galdiano, Madrid, 1797-98).jpg, ''Witches Sabbath'' 1797-1798
File:Witches Flight Goya.jpg, ''Witches Flight'' 1797-1798
File:Witches by Goya.jpg, ''Witches Spells'' 1797-1798
File:La cocina de las brujas por Francisco Goya.jpg, ''The Witches Kitchen'' 1797-1798
File:Don Juan y el Comendador por Francisco Goya.jpg, Don Juan and the Commander"aka ''The stone Guest'' 1797-1798
File:Francisco de Goya y Lucientes - The Bewitched Man - WGA10039.jpg, ''The Bewitched Man'' 1798
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Osuna, Maria Josefa Pimentel, Duchess of
1752 births
1834 deaths
Dukes of Benavente
Maria Josefa
Dukes of Arcos
Dukes of Plasencia
Téllez-Girón family
Spanish salon-holders
Spanish duchesses
Spanish art collectors
Nobility from Madrid
Grandees of Spain