Josefa de Ayala, better known as Josefa de Óbidos (1630–1684), is the only female artist to stand as the defining figure of an entire national tradition. Her paintings, associated with the visual culture of Baroque Portugal, are remarkable for their intimacy, technical refinement and spiritual feeling.
This half-day symposium brings together leading scholars to explore Josefa de Óbidos’s art from multiple perspectives: touching on artistic exchange in Iberia, female artists working during the 17th century and Portugal’s global material culture.
This event coincides with the National Gallery’s exhibition on Francisco de Zurbarán, one of Spain’s leading 17th-century painters. Josefa, who was born in Seville but worked in Portugal, bridged traditions from both locations in her art, and especially in her celebrated Agnus Dei paintings, which suggest Zurbarán’s influence.
The symposium also celebrates the recent publication of Carmen Ripollés’s book on Josefa – the first monograph on this important artist in English.
Generously supported by Fundação Gaudium Magnum - Maria e João Cortez de Lobão and organised in collaboration with its director, Valentina Rossi, the event welcomes specialist and general audiences alike.

Speakers:

Susana Varela Flor is a researcher at the Instituto da História da Arte, Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas, Universidade Nova de Lisboa.

Salvador Salort-Pons is the Mary Anne and Eugene A. Gargaro Jr. Director, President, and CEO of the Detroit Institute of Arts.

Charlotte Chastel-Rousseau is Chief Curator of Spanish and Portuguese Paintings and Frames at the Musée du Louvre, Paris.

Carmen Ripollés is Professor, Schnitzer School of Art + Art History + Design at Portland State University in Oregon.

Daniel Sobrino Ralston is the CEEH Associate Curator of Spanish Paintings at the National Gallery.

Registration: Please book a free ticket to attend the symposium: https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/events/josefa-de-obidos-painter-of-the-portuguese-baroque-03-07-2026.