Leonora Duarte

Leonora Duarte (1610 – 1678?) was a Baroque Flemish composer and musician, born in Antwerp. She belonged to a wealthy Portuguese-Jewish family who were major patrons of the arts and music. She was baptized into the Catholic faith on 28 July 1610. Duarte composed seven sinfonias which are the only known pieces of music written for viol by a woman in the 17th century. Life Family Leonora Duarte’s paternal grandparents, Diego Duarte I (c. 1544-1626) and Leonora Rodrigues (c.1565-1632) originally lived in Lisbon, Portugal until they were forced to flee during the Portuguese Inquisition. They most likely arrived in Antwerp around the year 1571. Practicing Judaism in Antwerp was illegal, so the family became conversos, meaning they outwardly acted as Catholics while secretly maintaining their Jewish faith and practices. Leonora was the first-born child of Gaspar Duarte (c.1584-1653) and Catharina Rodrigues (1584-1644), and she had three sisters and two brothers; Diego II (1612-1691), Catharina (1614-1678), Gaspar II (1616-c.1685), Francisca (1619-1678), and Isabella (1620-1685). In addition to his business in jewels, Gaspar and Diego were also heavily involved in the collection, trading,