Anna Maria van Schurman | |
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![]() Anna Maria van Schurman, by Jan Lievens, 1649 | |
Born | |
Died | May 4, 1678 | (aged 70)
Nationality | Dutch |
Education | University of Utrecht[1] |
Style | Painting Engraving Poetry |
Anna Maria van Schurman (November 5, 1607 – May 4, 1678) was a Dutch painter, engraver, poet, classical scholar, philosopher, and feminist[1] writer who is best known for her exceptional learning and her defence of female education.[1][2] She was a highly educated woman, who excelled in art, music, and literature, and became a polyglot proficient in fourteen languages, including Latin, Ancient Greek, Biblical Hebrew, Arabic, Syriac, Aramaic, and Ethiopic, as well as various contemporary European languages.[3] She was the first woman to unofficially study at a Dutch university.[4]