Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil

Dona Isabel, known as "the Redemptress", was the Princess Imperial of Brazil and heir presumptive to the throne of the Empire of Brazil. She served as regent of the empire on three occasions and was a central figure in Brazilian history during the final decades of the monarchy.

Everyday clothing for children and workers

Children often went completely naked in their early years, while enslaved women working in fields or as laborers frequently wore only a simple shirt. In some urban settings, young girls began wearing skirts around age 6 to 11, with differences in style reflecting social status.

Festive attire and religious celebration traditions

During religious feast days, both men and women across social classes dressed in their finest attire, with women often wearing white and adorning their hair with natural flowers. In 1843, a formal masculine outfit for a festival in Belém included rosemary-colored cashmere trousers, a green frock coat, and a white gro de naples vest.

Common instruments in 19th-century homes

In the early 19th century, the viola and guitar were the most popular instruments for accompanying songs at home, while the piano only became more common in wealthy households from the 1830s onwards.

Music in religious festivals

Religious festivals often featured processions with choirs, orchestras, and traditional groups like congados, which were pantomimic folk dances of African origin.

Cadeirinhas used for short city trips

For short distances, affluent families frequently used a small, enclosed litter called a cadeirinha, carried by enslaved people in liveries.

Inspection fees paid in réis

Caravans crossing between Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro paid fees of 250 to 370 réis per mule to pass inspection points.

Classrooms Shared with Animals

Many primary schools were located in old houses with dirt floors, where students often shared space with animals like pigs and chickens.

Eating Without Cutlery

Meals were often eaten without cutlery, using hands to shape manioc flour into balls, known as pirão, which were dipped into broth and meat.

A cheap and common breakfast in cities

A common breakfast for many, available in city cafes, cost four vinténs and consisted of a cup of coffee and a small bread roll with rancid Irish butter.

Cassava flour and the pirão paste

Cassava flour was a staple eaten by all classes, often mixed with meat juices or broths to form a thick paste known as pirão, which was typically eaten with the fingers.