Women's History Month: "They ruled society..."

Women's History Month: A month celebrating women of history! I will be posting media and book recommendations, highlighting women from (mostly) the 18th century, and otherwise sharing content with an emphasis on women in history.

"They ruled society, as women of the world; the empire of letters, as patronesses of the fine arts; the state, as favorites and advisers of kings. They gave the tone to feeling, philosophy and thought. Their caprice made wars, and signed treaties of peace. They hastened the fall of a Monarchy, and the outbreak of the greatest Revolution of modern times. They could attempt to check or direct that Revolution in its rapid and fearful course; they shared to the fullest extent its errors, its crimes, and its heroic virtues.

… Though the historians of the period have never fully or willingly acknowledged its existence, their silence cannot efface that which has been; and without that rule of woman, so reluctantly recognized, many of their pages of statesman’s policy, court intrigue, civil strife, or foreign war, need never have been written."

–Julia Kavanagh, Woman in France During the Eighteenth century, 1850

Women's History Month: A poem by Mah Laqa Bai (1768-1824)

Women's History Month: A month celebrating women of history! I will be posting media and book recommendations, highlighting women from (mostly) the 18th century, and otherwise sharing content with an emphasis on women in history.

[image: Mah Laqa Bai singing in the presence of Raja Rao Rambha Bahadur, 1799. Unknown artist.]

Mah Laqa Bai (originally Chanda Bibi) (1768-1824) was a respected, influential poet and courtesan. As a young girl, she was given an exemplary education and was invited into the inner circles of high ranking officials. She accompanied the second Nizam of the Hyderabad State into three wars, where she was well-known for her horseriding and archery skills; she was routinely awarded with lands, appointed to the highest circle of nobility, and given the honorary title Mah Laqa--which means "Visage of the Moon."

One of Mah Laqa Bai's most notable accomplishments was her poetry, which was well-received and published in several different collections. One collection, titled Diwan e Chanda, contained a stunning 125 ghazals. She became the first women to read her poems at a mushaira, or spoken poetic symposium, which was traditionally reserved for men. In some cases, she sung her poetry or sung poetry and songs written by other prominent courtiers and nobility. 

Upon her death, she left all her properties (which included copious amounts of jewelry, silver, gold and lands) to homeless women in Hyderabad.

This poem is from Gulzar-e-Mahlaqa, a collection of 39 ghazals written by Mah Laqa Bai; the collection was published in 1824, after her death.

 

Hoping to blossom (one day) into a flower

Hoping to blossom (one day) into a flower,
Every bud sits, holding its soul in its fist.

Between the fear of the fowler and (approaching) autumn,
The bulbul’s life hangs by a thread.

Thy sly glance is more murderous than arrow or sword;
It has shed the blood of many lover.

How can I like a candle to thy (glowing) cheek?
The candle is blind with the fat in its eyes.

How can Chanda be dry-lipped. O Saqi of the heavenly wine!
She has drained the cup of thy love 

 

Translated by Syed Sirajuddin; published in 'Women Writing in India: 600 B.C. to the early twentieth century,' edited by Susie J. Tharu and Ke Lalita.

Film Friday: Marie Antoinette (1938) Poster

Film Friday: a day for sharing movie stills, production art, film analysis and anything film related!

 [credit: Hollywoodposterauction.com]

 One of the many lobby posters created for an international screening of MGM's Marie Antoinette (1938).

4 (More) Novels Inspired by Real 18th-Century Women

Women's History Month: A month celebrating women of history! I will be posting media and book recommendations, highlighting women from (mostly) the 18th century, and otherwise sharing content with an emphasis on women in history.

4 (More) Novels Inspired by Real 18th-Century Women

If you've already read these 5 novels based on real 18th-century women and are looking for something different, check out these new (and old) novels based on the real lives and times of women living in the 18th century.

The Stargazer's Sister: A Novel by Carrie Brown 

Inspiration: Caroline Herschel (1750-1848)

The Stargazer's Sister: A Novel explores the life of Caroline Hershel, her extensive work alongside her brother, and the marriage that caused her once assured place in her brother's life (and alongside him in the conservatory) to be shaken.

Finding Emilie by Laurel Corona 

Inspiration: Lili and Émilie du Châtelet (1706-1749)

 The real Émilie du Châtelet died several days after giving birth, and her daughter Lili died before she was 2. In Finding Emilie, Laurel Corona has imagined what life might be have been for Lili, had she survived into adulthood, accompanied by excerpts from her mother Émilie's past.

Becoming Lisette by Rebecca Glenn 

Inspiration: Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun (1755-1842)

 Becoming Lisette is a fictionalized look at the youth and career of Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun, from her early youth through her rise in fame as the favorite painter of Marie Antoinette.

The Lost Queen by Norah Lofts 

Inspiration: Princess Caroline-Matilda (1751-1775)

The Lost Queen is based on the tumultuous life of Caroline-Matilda, whose marriage to Christian VII led to a secret affair, behind the scenes political machinations, and ultimately disaster.

Women's History Month: "A Petition To April" by Susanna Blamire (1747-1794)

[image: A portrait of Susanna Blamire by Giacomo Cambruzzi, 18th century]

Susanna Blamire (1747-1794) was an English poet whose prolific and well-regarded poetry earned her the nickname the "Muse of Cumberland." Most of her poetry was publsihed after her death, but she did submit some of her works to public view. In addition to poetry, Blamire worte songs, including a song ("The Siller Croun") which was referenced in Charles Dickens' The Old Curiosity Shop. In 1947, Scottish literary figure Hugh MacDiarmid said that Blamire's songs "can be set beside the best that have ever been produced by Scotsmen writing in their own tongue."

Blamire was frequently ill due to recurrent rheumatic heart disease. A few of her poems were marked as being written during periods of illness, including the below work which--fittingly, for Blamire and many of us in the world today--hopes for a renewed future in the coming spring.

A Petition to April, Written During Sickness, 1793

Sweet April! month of all the year
That loves to shed the dewy tear,
And with a soft but chilly hand
The silken leaves of flowers expand;
Thy tear--set eye shall I ne'er see
Weep o'er a sickly plant like me?
Thou art the nurse of infant flowers,
The parent of relenting showers;
Thy tears and smiles when newly born
Hang on the cheek of weeping Morn,
While Evening sighs in seeming grief
O'er frost--nipp'd bud or bursting leaf.
Once Pity held thee in her arms,
And, breathing all her gentle charms,
Bade thy meek smile o'ertake the tear,
And Hope break loose from trembling Fear;
Bade clouds that load the breast of Day
On melting Twilight weep away;
She bade thee, when the breezy Morn
Kiss'd the sweet gem that deck'd the thorn,
O'er the pale primrose softly pour
The nectar of a balmy shower;
And is the primrose dear to thee?
And wilt thou not give health to me?
See how I droop! my strength decays,
And life wears out a thousand ways;
Supporting friends their cordials give,
And wish, and hope, and bid me live;
With this short breath it may not be,
Unless thou lend'st a sigh to me.
O! fan me with a gentler breeze;
Invite me forth with busy bees;
And bid me trip the dewy lawn
Adorn'd with wild flowers newly blown;
O! do not sternly bid me try
The influence of a milder sky;
I know that May can weave her bower,
And spot, and paint, a richer flower;
Nor is her cheek so wan as thine;
Nor is her hand so cold as mine;
Nor bears she thy unconstant mind,
But ah! to me she ne'er was kind.
To thee I'll rear a mossy throne,
And bring the violet yet unblown;
Then teach it just to ope its eye,
And on thy bosom fondly die;
Embalm it in thy tears, and see
If thou hast one more left for me.
In thy pale noon no roses blow,
Nor lilies spread their summer snow;
Nor would I wish this time--worn cheek
In all the blush of health to break;
No; give me ease and cheerful hours,
And take away thy fairer flowers;
So may the rude gales cease to blow,
And every breeze yet milder grow,
Till I in slumber softly sleep,
Or wake but to grow calm and weep;
And o'er thy flowers in pity bend,
Like the soft sorrows of a friend. 

 

 

Women's History Month: 'Plum Flowers' by Seo Yeongsuhap (1753-1823)

 [image: Plum Tree Blooms by ForestWander/CC BY-SA 3.0 US, no changes]

Seo Yeongsuhap (1753-1823) was the daughter of a provincial governor and the wife of a royal official. She had three sons and one daughter; Yeongsuhap, her husband and all of her children were writers and much of their correspondence included or was done entirely in verse.

Yeongsuhap began writing poetry when she and her husband started to exchange correspondence in verse, during a period when he was posted in a rural province. Before her marriage, Yeongsuhap was already a lover of literature: by the time she was 15, she had already read many works, particularly Confucian classics. Her oldest son, Seokju, would later recall that "even by the bed she would speak of the ancients' proverbs and their beautiful deeds as if she were telling a story, and teach verses from the classics."

A collection of 192 poems written by Yeongsuhap was published after her death; the poems were included in the appendix of her husband's book, which also contained recollections from her sons about their mother.

The following poem, Plum Flowers, recalls a moment when as a young girl, Yeongsuhap saw beautiful plum flowers upon entering the house of a high government official.

Plum Flowers
[translation:Translated by Won-Jae Hur; published in The Poetic World of Classic Korean Women Writers, Volume 9]

My first step through the gate as a child
Plum flowers ready to bloom near the wall
Fragile pistils hung by the red rail
Here and there thin branches drooping over the green steps

I thought it was an official's splendid mansion
Yet it was as plain as a scholar's hut
Time has passed and speaks of ageing
Fragile flowers bloom on the remaining branches

You can read more about Yeongsuhap along with several of her poems in The Poetic World of Classic Korean Women Writers, Volume 9.

Women's History Month: Anastasia Robinson

Women's History Month: A month celebrating women of history! I will be posting media and book recommendations, highlighting women from (mostly) the 18th century, and otherwise sharing content with an emphasis on women in history.

[image: Engraving proof of Anastasia Robinson by John Faber the Younger, after a portrait bo John Vanderbgank. Circa 1727.]

Anastasia Robinson (c.1692-1755) was an English singer who became well-known for her work with the famous composer George Handel.

Robinson was the daughter of Thomas Robinson, a portrait painter. She received private musical tutoring from an early age and performed primarily at private concerts, where she would both play and sing. By the time she was in her early 20s, she was already associated with George Handel; in 1714, he wrote a solo soprano role in his composition 'Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne' specifically for Robinson. She joined Handel's company in 1714 and made an official debut in 'Creso,' a pasticcio (a type of composite performance).

In 1719, an unknown factor caused Robinson's voice to change. It was during this year that she began singing contralto roles, rather than her former soprano music. It was also during this period that her father's eyesight began failing and she decided to turn her talent into a profession that would bring in an income for herself and her family. She was hired into Handel's Royal Academy of Music, founded in 1720, and began earning £1000 a year for her work. She originated numerous roles in Handel's most famous operas. In 1722 or 173, she secretly married Charles Mordaunt, 3rd Earl of Peterborough; although they were married, he did not acknowledge her publicly as his wife, and she was viewed as his mistress until 1735 when he finally acknowledged their marriage.

Her most famous role was that of Cornelia in Handel's dramatic Giulio Cesare, which would become his most well-regarded and today, most frequently performed work. Cornelia's arias and music for this work are some of the most moving in Handel's entire repertoire, and one must imagine the faith Handel had in Robinson to

Although it would be her most famous role, Robinson retired shortly after the premiere of Giulio Cesare. Although she retired from the professional stage, she was still involved in the world of music and theater; her home in Parsons Green, which she lived on with her retirement earnigs as well as money from her secret husband, became a hub for musicians to train and perform.

After the death of her husband in 1735, she began living at his family residence; she died in 1755.

One of the most moving moments in for Cornelia in Giulio Cesare is Priva son d'ogni conforto, her Act I aria. Cornelia was foiled in her attempted suicide, which she attempted after the murder of her husband, and in this aria expresses her sadness and grief.

Women's History Month: Read 'The Eighteenth-Century Woman' by Olivier Bernier for Free

Women's History Month: A month celebrating women of history! I will be posting media and book recommendations, highlighting women from (mostly) the 18th century, and otherwise sharing content with an emphasis on women in history.

The Eighteenth-Century Woman by Olivier Bernier is a series of essays about fourteen 18th-century woman--ranging from empresses to milliners and in between--who, through lofty political positions or steadfast determination, changed the world around them.

This book is available to read and download for free from the Metropolitan Museum of Art website.

Women's History Month: Ma Quan, Qing-era Artist

Ma Quan (馬荃) was a Qing-era painter who was active during the 18th century. Ma Quan was a female artist who began selling her artwork in order to relieve the financial hardship she and her husband, fellow painter Gong Kehe, experienced. Her work quickly became popular and in-demand.

Her paintings were known for their defined, fine brushstrokes and their depictions of "ordinary" flowers, birds and insects; this was in contrast to the paintings more often seen by women of the imperial court, which depicted rare flowers and gardens exclusive to the imperial estates.  Tai Zuyong, another Qing-era artist, would later say that Ma Quan's work held 'alluring brushwork of serene interest.'

After her husband died, Ma Quan moved back to her home province of Jiangsu and continued selling her artwork in addition to teaching female students. Ma Quan painted usnig the Gouran style of painting, which involved applying colors after first sketching with ink.



The existing works of Ma Quan are spread at various museums and private collections throughout the world. The following are some highlights of her portfolio, which spanned several decades.

'Colored Flower,' unknown date. This painting is held in the collection of Shenzhen Museum.

Flowers and Butterflies, unknown date. This piece is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Flowers, unknown date. These pieces, formerly in the private collection of Imai Takudo, were auctioned by Christi'es in November 2012.

Women's History Month (and!) Music Monday: Francesca Lebrun's Sonatas

Introducing Music Monday: a day for contemporary music, soundtracks and other tunes related to Marie Antoinette.

 

image: 'Madame Lebrun' by Thomas Gainsborough, 1780

Francesca Lebrun, née Francesca Danzi, was a German singer and composer born on March 24th, 1756. Lebrun's family legacy is inseparable with music: her mother was a dancer, her father was a cellist, her brother was the composer and cellist Franz Danzi; she married the musician and composer Ludwig August Lebrun, and both Francesa's daughters--and at least a few of her grandchildren--would also be singers or musicians in their own right.

Franesca made her first public singing debut at the age of 16; the performance was a success, and just one year later she was already working with the Mannheim Opera. Her roles over the next four years included a role composed specifically for her voice: that of Anna in Ignaz Holzbauer's Günther von Schwarzburg, an opera about the titular German king. After her marriage in 1778, she and her husband toured Europe, which included stops in Milan, Paris and London.

In addition to performing, Lebrun composed music. Twelve of the sonatas she composed have survived, and half of these were recorded by Solo Luminus studio. The recording is available for listening on YouTube.

 

Franscesa died on May 14th, 1791, just 5 months after the death of her husband; she was only 35 years old. 

International Women's Day: "To all brave women."

International Women's Day: March 8th, 2020

 

The dedication from Marie Antoinette: The Tragic Queen by Dorothy Moulton Mayer: 

 

 [image: my photo]

What They Said Saturday: "Happily, grief increased my illness..."

'What They Said' Saturday: a day for quotations of all kinds, including excerpts from letters written by Marie Antoinette and her contemporaries, memoirs, non-fiction, novels and everything in between.

 

[image credit: Bibliothèque nationale de France, département Estampes et photographie]

After the death of Louis XVI, the royal family was left behind in the Temple prison to a yet undetermined fate. For a time, it seemed that the royal family would be sent out of France--or that, at least, is what Marie-Thérèse Charlotte recalled due to the behavior of their guards. Despite the potential for freedom, the newly widowed Marie Antoinette sank into despair. It was only her daughter's illness that helped distract her from the pain and anxiety caused by the loss of her husband and the agonizing question: what was going to happen to them?

Marie-Thérèse Charlotte wrote in her memoir:

"We now had a little more liberty, the guards thinking we were about to be sent away. But nothing was able to calm the anguish of my mother–we could make no hope of any sort enter her heart; she was indifferent whether she lived or died. She looked at us sometimes with a pity that made us shudder. Happily, grief increased my illness, and that occupied her. My own doctor, Brunier, and the surgeon La Caze were brought, and they cured me in a month."

Film Friday: 'Marie Antoinette' in Photoplay, 1938

Film Friday: a day for sharing movie stills, production art, film analysis and anything film related!

Image: Norma Shearer as Marie Antoinette, as featured in the July 1938 issue of Photoplay. [source: my photo/collection]

The marketing department behind Marie Antoinette (1938) was working overtime to promote MGM's grand--and expensive--new historical picture. One of the reoccurring themes behind the 1938 advertising was the return of Norma Shearer to the big screen; and this ad, like many others, played on Norma Shearer's reputation as the queen of MGM to highlight her role as the queen of France in the upcoming film.

Women's History Month: 'The Chimney-Sweep's Complaint' by Mary Alcock (c. 1742-1798)

Women's History Month: A month celebrating women of history! I will be posting media and book recommendations, highlighting women from (mostly) the 18th century, and otherwise sharing content with an emphasis on women in history.

image: The Little Chimney-Sweep by Jules Bastien-Lepage, 1883

Mary Alcock was an English writer whose sole public poem published during her lifetime was intended to raise money for charity. Not much is known about Mary's personal life--even the exact identity of her husband is debated. It is known that Mary was frequently called up on to care for others and, as her niece would later write, she dealt with much suffering and "trials" from Providence; she cared for her parents during a long decline and after her sister Elizabeth died in 1770, she raised her 7 nieces. As her niece Joanna Hughes would later write, "she stood forth as the benefactress and protectress of a whole orphan family of dependent nieces[.]"

Her husband died by the early 1780s; after his death she moved to Bath and began participating in literary circles. Despite her rather voluminous poetry production, Alcock only published her poems to publicly once. In 1775, she wrote 'The Confined Debtor: A Fragment from a Prison.' The poem was published solely to raise money for people in jail for debt in a local prison and, thanks to her efforts, enough money was raised to release at least 14 people from newgate prison and "many debtors" from Ilchester prison. In 1784, she published another poem ("The Air Balloon, or Flying Mortal") anonymously. Rather than publish her poetry, Alcock preferred to share it with friends and family.

In Bath, she was also known for her philanthropy, which is reflected in some of her poetry, including this poem about the sufferings of young children who were employed as apprentice chimney-sweeps. Chimney-sweeping was an incredibly dangerous job and the dangerous and difficult job of cleaning chimney flues was often tasked to young children, starting at around 6 years old.

In most cases, these young apprentices were orphans, children from workhouses or children from poor families who needed their children to bring in an income. Once they were chosen as an apprentice, they would be legally bound to their master chimney sweep until they reached adulthood. Many of these children were seriously injured or killed during the difficult work; in 1794, the Gentleman's Magazine recalled a tragic incident in which two young chimney sweep boys were killed in the same baker's chimney; the eldest of the two was eight years old.

Alcock's poem coincided with other publications bringing notice to the plight of young chimney sweepers and their apprentices, including works such as The State of Chimney Sweepers' Young Apprentices by Jonas Hanway. In 1788, the 'Chimney Sweepers Act 1788' was passed, which attempted to raise the age limit of chimney sweepers' apprentices to at least 8 years old (though this was, naturally, still shockingly young) but it was rarely enforced.

It was not until 1834 that regulations raised the age of chimney sweeper apprentices to 14 ,and required all apprentices to express that they were 'willing and desirous' to enter the trade in front of a magistrate before they could be signed to a master. Despite this and further regulations (including an 1840 act that made it illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to sweep chimneys) these regulations were difficult to enforce.

'The Chimney-Sweeper's Complaint' by Mary Alcock

A chimney sweeper's boy am I;
Pity my wretched fate!
Ah, turn your eyes; 'twould draw a tear,
Knew you my helpless state.

Far from my home, no parents I
Am ever doom'd to see;
My master, should I sue to him,
He'd flog the skin from me.

Ah, dearest Madam, dearest Sir,
Have pity on my youth;
Tho' black, and cover'd o'er with rags,
I tell you nought but truth.

My feeble limbs, benumb'd with cold,
Totter beneath the fack,
Which ere the morning dawn appears
Is loaded on my back.

My legs you see are burnt and bruis'd,
My feet are gall'd by stones,
My flesh for lack of food is gone,
I'm little else but bones.

Yet still my master makes me work,
Nor spares me day or night;
His 'prentice boy he says I am,
And he will have his right.

"Up to the highest top," he cries,
There call out chimney-sweep!"
With panting heart and weeping eyes
Trembling I upwards creep.

But stop! no more —
I see him come;
Kind Sir, remember me!
Oh, could I hide me under ground,
How thankful should I be!

Women's History Month: A portrait of Izabela Czartoryska, scandalous art collector

Women's History Month: A month celebrating women of history! I will be posting media and book recommendations, highlighting women from (mostly) the 18th century, and otherwise sharing content with an emphasis on women in history.

 [image: A portrait of Izabela Czartoryska by Alexander Roslin, 1774]

Elżbieta "Izabela" Dorota Czartoryska (1746-1835) was an art curator, writer and princess who became known for her progressive views and sometimes scandalously retrieved collection. She founded several museums, including the first museum of Poland, Czartoryski Museum--a museum that recently reopened in 2019 after nearly a decade of restorative work. Izabela was well-known and somewhat notorious for her art collecting, as she would go to any means necessary to obtain objects she set her eye on.

In some cases, she would go so far as to steal pieces for her collection, particularly if she was denied a chance to purchase something. She once snipped a fragment of a smock owned by Gustavus Adlophus of Sweden for one of her museums; in another instance, she took a pen used by Frederick II from his desk. When confronted by the king at a court luncheon, she said, "Sir, that theft cannot be an insult to Your Majesty, for you must be a person of exceeding brilliance and exceptional fame if a Polish woman values your pen so highly." He laughed and Izabela kept the pen. 

Not all of the objects Izabela collected were so mundane. In 1789, she obtained bones purported to be from 15th-century Burgandian soldiers by stealing them from a chapel. Her own description of the events: (translation: Culture.pl):

"On the way, we noticed a wayside chapel with an iron grille. According to a sign, for nearly four centuries the chapel had sheltered the bones and remains of Burgundians killed during the famous battle in which Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, was defeated by the Swiss in 1477. (…) Looking at these relics, I pondered upon how, in the past, they had belonged to famous warriors, valiant soldiers (…).
 

Moved by it all, and unable to resist the temptation, I reached through the bars and took one of those bones, to place it with the other relics at the Gothic House. Soon afterwards, the newspapers reported that the chapel in Morat had been completely destroyed during the French Revolution, along with many other monuments, and the bones had been scattered, so no other mementos of the valiant Burgundians are left in this world, except in Puławy."

In 1775, just one year after this portrait was painted, Izabela and her husband (Adam Kazimierz Czartoryski) began hosting an Enlightenment-centric court at their famed Czartoryski palace. They invited other notable Polish Enlightenment figures and discussed politics, art, literature and philosophy of the day. Thanks to Roslin's charming portrait, one can easily imagine the fresh-faced Izabela, cheeks rubbed with rouge and hair delicately curled, excitedly discussing the latest and greatest events of the day.

Inspired Tuesday: Marie Antoinette Snow Globe from Versailles

Inspired Tuesday: a day to share anything and everything inspired by Marie Antoinette and her world.

[credit: Boutiques des Musées]

There are many Marie Antoinette inspired trinkets available for purchase at the Versailles gift shop. Among them includes this charming snow globe (or officially, "Snow Ball") depicting Marie Antoinette in full court gear in front of the palace. It's available for a modest price (€12.90!) and would surely look charming on a bookshelf or desk.

Women's History Month: "My entry into this world was not met with joy."

Women's History Month: A month celebrating women of history! I will be posting media and book recommendations, highlighting women from (mostly) the 18th century, and otherwise sharing content with an emphasis on women in history.

[image: Portrait of Glafira Alymova after Dmitry Levitsky, 1776]

Glafira Ivanovna Alymova (1758-1826) was a Russian noblewoman, lady-in-waiting to Catherine the Great, harpist and writer. She was born the daughter of a colonel and a noblewoman.

Alymova's birth was a sad occasion for her family. Her father died before she was born, and she would later write in her memoirs: 

"My entry into this world was not met with joy. A child born at her father's death, I began life with sinister omens of the wretched fate that awaited me. My distraught mother could not bear the presence of her poor nineteenth child and removed my cradle from her sight, and a father's tenderness could not answer my first cries."

Her mother never recovered from the shock and pain of her husband's death, and when the young Glafira was sent to boarding school she realized with pain how much her own relationship with her mother differed from her peers. "Out of fifty girls I was almost the only one who had not experienced parental tenderness."

She was one of the first graduates from the Society for the Education of Young Ladies and the Nobility, founded in 1764; this society, today known as the Smolney Institute, was the first formal educational organization dedicated to teaching women. 'Smolney' was intended for the education of noble girls, whereas another institute was established for the education of "common" girls. The institute was established originally under the patronage of Catherine the Great, and would continue to be patronized by Russian empresses until the Russian Revolution.

Upon graduating from boarding school, she reunited with her mother and experienced feelings of renewed, yet fleeting tenderness. "In one moment her kindness effaced all those past impressions and her trust opened before me a touching image of virtue struggling with adversity. My mother's grief strengthened even more my attachment to her." Her mother died shortly thereafter and Alymova noted that "my feelings toward my mother ... had been artificially nurtured by me. Without encouragement, they vanished without three months."

Although her own mother kept the young Glafira distant on an emotional and then physical level, there were many people who soon found joy in her birth. She was taken under the wing of the headmistress at her school, and she was much beloved by the Russian imperial family. Even during her childhood years at Smolney, she was sent gifts of flowers, letters and other trinkets from the imperial family. Upon graduation, she was awarded personally by Empress Catherine and made a lady-in-waiting.

In 1777 she married a nobleman and writer Aleksei Andreevich Rzhevsky; their marriage was tumultuous at first due to the couple's decision to live with the 64 year old Ivan Betskoy, a nobleman who had supported the young Glafira during her school years and who professed romantic intentions towards the now graduated young lady. According to Glafira in her memoirs, Ivan asked her to choose what she wanted him to be, "husband--or father?" She chose father and though he apparently agreed to her wishes, his evident jealousy caused Glafira and her husband to move out on their own shortly after.

During the reign of Emperor Paul, she and her husband fell out of favor with the imperial court. Her husband died, leaving behind significant debts; her favor was restored by Alexander I, and he gave her a significant widow's pension.

In 1805, however, she caused scandal by marrying a young, non-noble man 20 years her junior. The man, known as Ippolit Masclet, was a French teacher. The scandal was short-lived, at least officially; after receiving the blessing of Tsar Alexander, Glafira was able to obtain a chamberlain's position for her husband at court and resumed living in royal favor.

She died in 1826. She and her first husband had one child, Mariya Svistunova, who died in 1866. One of Mariya's daughters, born in 1804, was named after her grandmother Glafira.

Note: Translations of Alymova's memoirs 'Memorial Notes of Glafira Ivanovna [Alymova] Rzhevskaia,' by Ruth Sobel. From Russian Women, 1698-1917: Experience and Expression, An Anthology of Sources. 2002.]

Women's History Month: Maria Hester Park: "By skill and science highly was she grac’d/In music’s melting art"

Women's History Month: A month celebrating women of history! I will be posting media and book recommendations, highlighting women from (mostly) the 18th century, and otherwise sharing content with an emphasis on women in history.

 [image: detail from The Sense of Hearing by Philippe Mercier, circa 1744-1747]

Maria Hester Park (1760-1813) was a British musician well known for her musical compositions. Before her marriage, Park had a slight reputation for her public performances; her earlier performances included a concert series with Maria Hester Reynolds as well as a duet with Jane Mary Guest. She published her first compositions in 1785, which included six Sonatas for the Harpsichord or Piano Forte and Violin.

She stopped performing publicly in 1787 after her marriage to engraver and writer Thomas Park, and instead focused exclusively on her composing and teaching. Her move to compositions would help cement her greatest fame: her popular music which would make her one of the most notable women composers of her day.

Park published a significant musical portfolio throughout her life. According to musician Diana Ambache, her music was "popular in the elegant drawing rooms of eighteenth century England" and was "the sort of music performed by Jane Austen heroines." Her work ranges from relatively simple, pleasing salon music to challenging romantic-style compositions. Although some of her compositions are now considered lost, a number of them have survived and are still performed today.

Park died in age 52 from an unknown illness; she had been suffering from ill-health for for several years.

In addition to her musical success, Park enjoyed a happy, loving marriage. Her husband Thomas Park composed numerous love poems for her and continued writing about her after her untimely death in 1813. Thomas would later write that her death was the death of "the joy of half my life."

In 1817, he published a poem about his late wife entitled 'Remembrance. Written on Christmas Eve 1817."

The last stanza of the poem is a fitting tribute to her life and work:

By skill and science highly was she grac’d
In music’s melting art, and with such taste
And touch of feeling did she sounds convey,
Her heart appear’d more than her hands to play;
Yet what did most the hearts of others win,
All was sweet harmony, sweet peace within;
Whence I may say, who best have claim to know,
She never lost a friend, she never made a foe.
Take this remembrance, dear departed Worth!
Till Heav’n do more make known what once
thou wert, on Earth.

Some of her work can be listened to on Spotify or Youtube. The following video contains her Piano Sonata in E-flat major, Op. 4 No. 2.