Teoría versus biografíaLos "manuales de economía doméstica" del marqués de san adrián (1772)

Laburpena

This paper focuses on a couple of Home Economy Treatises written in 1772 by a Navarrese nobleman, the Marquis of San Adrián. One of these books is destinated to the householder and the other to the housewife. The autor analyzes the division of tasks and the role developed by each gender in its 670 pages. As a conclusion, although he defends the traditional role atributed to each one, it becomes clear that the author believed in the equal dignity and the importance of both man and woman. At the same time, San Adrián explains the relevant contribution of the housewife to the domestic economy and welfare. By saying this, he was not taking into account his own personal experience, because San Adrián´s household had much suffered during the time five of his female ancestors were in charge of the house. At the same time, we underline the background of those books: the enlargement of the father´s authority following the severe riots that took place in 1766.