Under capes and cloaks: clothes and material culture in small town Itu, 1765-1808

Author(s)

Ligia Souza Guido

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas
• Defense date: 2015-11-02

Examining board members

Leila Mezan Algranti; Adriana Angelita da Conceição; Maria Aparecida de Meneses Borrego

• Advisor: Leila Mezan Algranti

Abstract

This work is dedicated to the study of clothing considering both material and symbolic dimensions in the period that corresponds to the growth of sugar production and to the consolidation of the urban nucleus of the small town Itu, captaincy of São Paulo, between 1765 and 1808. The appearance of the individuals in a society during the so-called Old Regime, combined with the presence of slavery was an important element of identification and social ranking. Materiality is understood from the description and the rating assigned to the textile articles described mainly in listing of goods of post-mortem inventories. The survey was conducted for further information on individuals from the Maços de População (census) and genealogy work. We also collected data on imports of products made by the Itu village next to the Mapas de Importação, this relationship belonging to the Maços de População. Through the goods described in the documentation of forty-four inventoried residing in small town Itu, it was possible to assemble a picture of the material composition of the assets of individuals and their homes, seeing their sources of income, their workspaces, housing and the objects that made up their belongings. By the time the goods were divided among the heirs, the objects or the amount related to gifts or inheritances of advances were mentioned, thus underlining the movement of goods promoted in life and after the death of a parent. Besides the inventories from Itu, nineteen posthumous inventories of Lisbon were consulted, relating to the same years of Ituana sample for comparison between metropolitan and colonial patterns of kinds of garments, fabrics and accessories in circulation before the opening of Brazilian ports in 1808 (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/12358-4 - Under capes and cloaks: clothes and material culture in the small town Itu, 1765-1808
• Grantee: Ligia Souza Guido
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master