Anna Petrovna

What people wore

Inherited silk festive clothing of wealthy families

Merchant and wealthy peasant women cherished festive clothing made from thick silk fabrics like satin and brocade, which were passed down through generations. These colorful, expensive garments were often adorned with large, bright floral patterns that reflected a blend of European trends and traditional folk art.

Getting around

Speed of professional couriers

Couriers using fast post horses could travel up to 125 km in a single day during this period.

At the table

Rye bread was the daily staple

Ordinary families relied on rye bread as a daily staple, with an adult consuming up to two pounds of this dense, sour-leavened bread each day. Because bread was time-consuming to make, it was typically baked in a Russian oven only once a week.

Music

Unique Eighteenth-Century Russian Horn Orchestras

In the mid-eighteenth century, the unique horn orchestra became a feature of Russian culture, consisting of 50 to 91 musicians playing brass horns that could each produce only one specific note.

Daily life

Home-based literacy for children

Due to a lack of public schools, children in noble families typically began learning literacy at home between the ages of 5 and 8. Teachers were often parents, relatives, local priests, or even household servants who knew how to read and write.

What it cost

Annual wages for factory workers

In the mid-18th century, unskilled factory workers or general laborers typically earned around 16 rubles per year, while skilled masters could earn 30 to 60 rubles annually. Some workers also received payment in kind, such as flour, grain, salt, or meat, to supplement their low cash wages.