Cosway, Maria (1759–1838)

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Cosway, Maria (1759–1838)

English-Italian painter and musician. Name variations: Maria Cecilia Louisa Hadfield Cosway; Maria Hadfield. Born Maria Cecilia Louisa Hadfield, 1759, in Florence, Italy; died Jan 5, 1838, at Lodi, Italy; dau. of English parents; sister of Charlotte Hadfield (who m. William Combe, writer) and George Hadfield (architect); had Roman Catholic convent education; studied in Italy and England; m. Richard Cosway (famous English miniature painter), Jan 18, 1781; children: daughter (died young).

At 19, elected a member of Academy of Fine Arts in Florence; following father's death (1778), moved to England at invitation of her friend Angelica Kauffman, and exhibited at Royal Academy (1781–1801); was also a composer, musician and authority on girls' education; often traveled to Paris and was friends with notables on the French scene, including Jacques-Louis David; met Thomas Jefferson during his tenure as US minister to France (1786) and they would continue to correspond (Jefferson seemed romantically inclined towards her); with husband's financial help, founded a convent school for girls in Lodi; after he died, returned to Italy and her school, which is still flourishing; for her work, was created a baroness of the Austrian Empire by Francis I.

See also Gerald Barnett, Richard and Maria Cosway: A Biography and film Jefferson in Paris.