Maria Amália Vaz de Carvalho

Who was Maria Amália Vaz de Carvalho?

Maria Amália Vaz de Carvalho was a Portuguese writer. She was the first woman to join the Portuguese Academy of Sciences.

The daughter of José Vaz de Carvalho and Maria Cristina de Almeida e Albuquerque, she was married to the poet António Cândido Gonçalves Crespo.

She wrote for several newspapers in Portugal and Brazil, under the pseudonym Maria de Sucena.

As well as poetry, she wrote short stories, essays, biographies, and literary criticism. The collection of stories for children she wrote with her husband, Contos para os nossos filhos was approved by the Board of Public Instruction for use in schools.

Her house was the first literary salon in Lisbon; they were hosts to Eça de Queiroz, Camilo Castelo Branco, Ramalho Ortigão and Guerra Junqueiro.

In 1993, the municipality of Loures established a literary award in her name.