Das „Gold“ der Salzburger Spitzenmacherinnen

Monika Thonhauser has studied lace in its dual role as an economic factor and a fashion accessory, from the early modern period to the 18th century. Her research draws on unpublished sources about producers and traders in the lace cottage industry of the former “Salzburg lowlands” and on lace as part of court representation in the residence city of Salzburg. The focus is on the everyday lives of the various social groups, their economic situation and the rules laid down by the authorities. A central theme is Renaissance and Baroque lace as an enormous cultural achievement: against the backdrop of mercantilist economic policy and the dictates of fashion, its production employed countless people across Europe, mainly women and children.