Maria Luísa de Sousa Holstein: «In the middle of the pleasures of opulence she didn’t forget those who suffered»

Abstract

The founding of the Sociedade Promotora das Cozinhas Económicas de Lisboa (1894) was the initiative of the 3rd Duchess of Palmela, Maria Luísa de Sousa Holstein (1841-1909). Among the various actions she took to minimise the precarious living conditions of the most disadvantaged who lived and worked in the capital, this is the one that had the greatest social impact. The Duchess, her motivations and her ability to mobilise high society are all issues addressed in this Documenta, as are the six Kitchens that were installed or built in different parts of the capital between 1893 and 1906, on land provided by Lisbon City Council. The documentation reproduced here is intended to contribute to future approaches to this subject, thanks to the diversity of information sources it disseminates.