As an artist the Schurmann reached such excellence that the painter Honthorst valued a portrait by her at a thousand Dutch florins—­about four hundred and thirty dollars—­an enormous sum when we remember that the works of her contemporary, Albert Cuyp, were sold for thirty florins! and no higher price was paid for his works before the middle of the eighteenth century.  A few years ago his picture, called “Morning Light,” was sold at a public sale in London for twenty-five thousand dollars.  How astonishing that a celebrated artist like Honthorst, who painted in Utrecht when Cuyp painted in Dort, should have valued a portrait by Anna Maria Schurmann at the price of thirty-three works by Cuyp!  Such facts as these suggest a question regarding the relative value of the works of more modern artists.  Will the judgments of the present be thus reversed in the future?

This extraordinary woman filled the measure of possibilities by carving in wood and ivory, engraving on crystal and copper, and having a fine musical talent, playing on several instruments.  When it is added that she was of a lovable nature and attractive in manner, one is not surprised that her contemporaries called her “the wonder of creation.”

Volsius was her friend and taught her Hebrew.  She was intimately associated with such scholars as Salmatius and Heinsius, and was in correspondence with scholars, philosophers, and theologians regarding important questions of her time.

Anna Maria Schurmann was singularly free from egotism.  She rarely consented to publish her writings, though often urged to do so.  She avoided publicity and refused complimentary attentions which were urged upon her, conducting herself with a modesty as rare as her endowments.

In 1664, when travelling with her brother, she became acquainted with Labadie, the celebrated French enthusiast who preached new doctrines.  He had many disciples called Labadists.  He taught that God used deceit with man when He judged it well for man to be deceived; that contemplation led to perfection; that self-mortification, self-denial, and prayer were necessary to a godly life; and that the Holy Spirit constantly made new revelations to the human beings prepared to receive them.

Anna Maria Schurmann heard these doctrines when prostrated by a double sorrow, the deaths of her father and brother.  She put aside all other interests and devoted herself to those of the Labadists.  It is said that after the death of Labadie she gathered his disciples together and conducted them to Vivert, in Friesland.  William Penn saw her there, and in his account of the meeting he tells how much he was impressed by her grave solemnity and vigorous intellect.

From this time she devoted her fortune to charity and died in poverty at the age of seventy-one.  Besides her fame as an artist and a scholar, her name was renowned for purity of heart and fervent religious feeling.  Her virtues were many and her few faults were such as could not belong to an ignoble nature.