‘A Woman of Great Courage’: Women in the Printing Trades in Early Modern Europe

María de Quiñones (active 1611-1666)

María de Quiñones was the widow of printer Juan de la Cuesta, who ran the printing house of Pedro de Madrigal, the husband of Maria's aunt, Maria Rodriguez Ribalde. Maria married Juan in 1602, and from 1604, the works produced in the shop bear his imprint. In 1607, when Maria was pregnant, Juan left Madrid for Seville with the intention of traveling to the Indies, and renounced the management of his printing press. Maria and her aunt continued the management of the shop until the aunt's death in 1627, at which point she took over sole management. Until the elder Maria's death, the imprints maintain the name "Juan de la Cuesta"; from 1627 to 1634, the imprint becomes Casa de Madrigal (House of Madrigal), Herederos de Pedro Madrigal (Heirs of Pedro Madrigal), or Casa de la Viuda de Madrigal (House of the Widow Madrigal). From 1634 to 1666, three years before her death, Maria's name appears as the printer on all books produced by the shop. In 1666, Maria sold the business to printer Melchor Alegre. Maria produced 166 titles, under a variety of imprints. The imprints shown here represent the first and last imprints used by de Quiñones.

For information on the books shown here, see the List of books.

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