Maria de Lourdes Ribeiro, known as Maluda, was born on November 15, 1934, in the city of Panjim, in the then Portuguese State of India. From  from the year of  1948, he lived in Lourenço Marques (now Maputo) and went there who began his painting work as a self-taught portrait artist. It was also there who formed, with Garizo do Carmo, João Paulo and João Ayres the painting group "Os Independentes", which he exhibited collectively in 1961, 1962 and 1963.

In 1963 he was awarded a scholarship from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and traveled to Portugal, where he worked with master Roberto de Araújo in Lisbon. Between 1964 and 1967 she lived in Paris, on a Gulbenkian scholarship. He worked at the Academia de la Grande Chaumière with masters Jean Aujame and Michel Rodde. During his stay in Paris he spent time with artists such as Maria Helena Vieira da Silva and Arpad Seznes.

His first solo exhibition took place in 1969, at the Diário de Notícias gallery, in Lisbon. In 1973 he held a large solo exhibition at the Gulbenkian Foundation, which was a huge success, attracting around 15,000 visitors and gave him great notoriety from then on.

Between 1976 and 1978, she was again a fellow at the Gulbenkian Foundation, studying in London and Switzerland. From 1978 onwards he dedicated himself to The theme of windows, seeking to use them as a metaphor for the public-private composition.

In 1981, he published his book “Maluda” with a preface by Maria Helena Vieira da Silva.

Throughout her career, she was awarded a variety of awards, among which we highlight the "Painting Award" from the National Academy of Fine Arts in Lisbon, in 1979, the World Government Stamp Printers Conference, in Washington, in 1987 and in Périgueux (France), in 1989, the "World Prize" for the best stamp (and collaboration with CTT). the prestigious "Bordalo Pinheiro Prize", awarded by Casa da Imprensa, in 1994, the year in which he would hold, within the scope of "Lisbon Capital of Culture", an individual exhibition at the Cultural Center de Belém in Lisbon. On October 13, 1998, she was honored by the President of the Republic (Jorge Sampaio) with the degree of Grand Officer of the Order of Infante D. Henrique, at the same time that she held her ;last solo exhibition, "Os selos de Maluda", sponsored by CTT.

She passed away in Lisbon on February 10, 1999 and in her will, the artist established the "Maluda Painting Prize" which, for some years, was awarded by the National Society of Fine Arts. The painters Ana Vidigal (1999), Cristina Valadas (2000), Fátima Mendonça (2001) received this award.

Between 1964 and 1967 she lived in Paris, on a Gulbenkian scholarship. There worked at the Academia de la Grande Chaumière with masters Jean Aujame and Michel Rodde. During his stay in Paris he spent time with other artists, including Maria Helena Vieira da Silva and Arpad Seznes.