2026Women In Politics - Matilde de la Torre - Set

Born in Cabezón de la Sal (Cantabria) into a family that encouraged her intellectual and cultural interests, Matilde de la Torre (1884-1946) exemplifies the important social changes of the first half of the 20th century. A writer and journalist, she made her debut in the world of literature with the novel Jardín de las Damas Curiosas (Garden of Curious Ladies, 1917), a nod to her cousin, the great artist María Blanchard. Her subsequent publications, essays, and newspaper articles revealed her growing social and political commitment, her defense of women's rights, and her democratic spirit. Alongside her artistic side, her commitment to culture and education is also noteworthy, leading her to found, inspired by the Institución Libre de Enseñanza (Free Institution of Education) and supported by Consuelo Berges—another great woman and also a relative—the Academia Torre and the “Orfeón Voces Cántabras” choir, which has been considered a parallel project for non-formal education.