Arts and Crafts in XVII Century Rome

Copyright (c) 2013 Gaspare Armato

Various popes succeeded to the papal throne during the XVII century, by Leo XI to Urban VIII up to Innocent XI, popes that, in one way or another, determined history course. Their decisions influenced, though locally in Rome, even arts and crafts.

In the "Urbe" everything used to turn around corporations or "universities", whose category determined its own sector with a system of laws often very specific and detailed. Nobody could practice his own craft without being registered in a class, "acquaroli", druggists, fishermen, butchers, grocers and so on, had to be part of their own category and follow laws and dictates.

In Rome there were at least a hundred "universities", each with its own statute, its own organization, its own patron saint and festivity, in short a whole system allowing the unfolding of the various activities. For example ones who belonged to "pizzicaroli" category, could sell eggs, meats, caviar, salmon, as well as brooms, candles, baskets, wire, up to dried fruits, vegetables, olives, onions, figs, etc. Their corporation was one of the richest and most powerful. While barbers, in addition to usual duties, practised also minor surgical operations, since, to be part of their "university", they had to know the various veins of human body, "cavar sangue dalle dette vene, metter mignatte e ventose e far cauterj" (1).

The admission to university of the category usually occurred after a specific technical examination, necessary to test applicant's skills. Librarians must have received eight years training, "vermicellari" - pasta manifacturers -- at least two years training, druggist about ten years training.

Sometimes the continuation of crafts or arts was determined by the hereditary right and then one wasn't supposed to wait for the twenty-fifth year of age to join the corporation. Craftsmen and traders had to follow a certain order and had to respect the laws of their own category as well as edicts and proclamations on the agenda. Otherwise punishment was the pillory and, if it was grave, even arrest, besides the payment of a certain money amount. In the "pollaroli" (ones who used to sell chicken and eggs for example) statute it's written: "Che nissuno dell'arte possa vendere ova marce sotto la pena di dieci scudi d'oro per ciascuna volta"(2), it means "nobody dare to sell rotten eggs, under the punishment of ten gold-crowns per time".

The building, that used to absorb architects, painters, masons and people usually coming from outside Rome, was tied-up with popes ambitions. For unskilled labors no specializations were required.

On holidays not all works stopped, because a minimum service must have been ensured: innkeepers had to feed their guests, farriers if necessary had to shoe horses, landlords had to sell wine, on condition that it wasn't drunk on site, barbers had to take care of small wounds. Working time was free: since sunrise to sunset, weather conditions allowing.

***** - 1. Almo Paita, La vita quotidiana a Roma ai tempi di Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Rizzoli, Milano, 1998, pag. 257. - 2. op. cit. pag 254.

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