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The Art of Spain attained its greatest glory in the seventeenth century—­the century of Velasquez, Murillo, Ribera, and other less distinguished but excellent artists.

In the last half of this century women artists were prominent in the annals of many Spanish cities.  In the South mention is made of these artists, who were of excellent position and aristocratic connection.  In Valencia, the daughter of the great portrait painter Alonzo Coello was distinguished in both painting and music.  She married Don Francesco de Herrara, Knight of Santiago.

In Cordova the sister of Palomino y Vasco—­the artist who has been called the Vasari of Spain on account of his Museo Pictorio—­was recognized as a talented artist.  In Madrid, Velasquez numbered several noble ladies among his pupils; but no detailed accounts of the works of these artists is available—­if any such exist—­and their pictures are in private collections.

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The above outline of the general conditions of Art in the seventeenth century will suggest the reasons for there being a larger number of women artists in Italy than elsewhere—­especially as they were pupils in the studios of the best masters as well as in the schools of the Carracci and other centres of art study.

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Italian artists of the eighteenth century have been called scene painters, and, in truth, many of their works impress one as hurried attempts to cover large spaces.  Originality was wanting and a wearisome mediocrity prevailed.  At the same time certain national artistic qualities were apparent; good arrangement of figures and admirable effects of color still characterized Italian painting, but the result was, on the whole, academic and uninteresting.

The ideals cherished by older artists were lost, and nothing worthy to replace them inspired their followers.  The sincerity, earnestness, and devotion of the men who served church and state in the decoration of splendid monuments would have been out of place in the service of amateurs and in the decoration of the salons and boudoirs of the rich, and the painting of this period had little permanent value, in comparison with that of preceding centuries.

Italian women, especially in the second half of the century, were professors in universities, lectured to large audiences, and were respectfully consulted by men of science and learning in the various branches of scholarship to which they were devoted.  Unusual honors were paid them, as in the case of Maria Portia Vignoli, to whom a statue was erected in the public square of Viterbo to commemorate her great learning in natural science.

An artist, Matilda Festa, held a professorship in the Academy of St. Luke in Rome, and Maria Maratti, daughter of the Roman painter Carlo Maratti, made a good reputation both as an artist and a poetess.