Maria Clotilde of Naples and Sicily

What people wore

Everyday dress for peasant men

Peasant men typically dressed in coarse-fabric jackets, knee-length breeches, and waistcoats. While these garments were not refined in cut, there was a noticeable attention to detail and a sense of good taste in the pairing of colors.

Getting around

Extra animals for steep terrain

Travelers often needed extra horses or mules to navigate steep or sandy mountain terrain, paying extra fees for these additional animals.

At the table

Acquacotta: The Peasant Stone Soup

Ordinary people often ate acquacotta, a simple dish literally meaning cooked water, made from water, stale bread, and onions.

Music

Pergolesi's Stabat Mater tradition

During Lent in Florence, a popular and recurring musical event was the performance of Pergolesi's Stabat Mater, which became a hallowed tradition.

Daily life

Rural Homes and Living Conditions

In rural areas, many families lived on the upper floors of small stone buildings, keeping their pigs and chickens on the ground floor. Water was obtained from wells or cisterns that collected rainwater, while candles provided light during long winter nights.

What it cost

Fixed Price Bread in Florence

In Florence, the price of a loaf of bread was fixed at eight soldi for most of the eighteenth century, with authorities adjusting the loaf's weight rather than the price itself to manage market fluctuations.