From the cellar to the table. Modesty, moderation and economy of Polish nobles’ drinking culture in the second half of the 18th century (based on inventories of drinks served in noble and aristocratic households)

Abstract

“Za króla Sasa jedz, pij i popuszczaj pasa” (During the Reign of a Saxon king, eat, drink and loosen your belt), is the saying that probably best reflects the characteristics of the drinking culture in the first half of the 18^th century Poland. The publications on the history of alcohol consumption, however, do not include any subtle differentiation of periods of excessive drunkenness and sobriety, depicting the entire Old-Polish period as a constant carnival of toasts made with cups filled with the best and most expensive wines. Studies on old Polish customs have preserved this image of excessive and festive consumption to a large extent. What we know about drinking in Poland of the past is usually derived from reports describing feasts, banquets and special events. However, we seldom have a chance to take a closer look at the everyday, less spectacular consumption. The aim of this paper is to show in more detail this daily, ordinary consumption rather than to construct an image of Polish drinking based on reports and information concerning festive and special times. Such an approach is possible thanks to the preserved sources, which document daily consumption of drinks at the courts of aristocracy and nobility. As examples I have chosen reports on daily consumption at the courts of Aleksandra Ogińskia in Siedlce, Adam Kazimierz Czartoryski in Sieniawa, Izabella Branicka in Białystok and the royal court of Stanisław August Poniatowski in Warsaw. All these documents register at least a few months of alcohol consumption at each court. They were also chosen in view of the similar period in which these documents were created (2^nd half of the 18^th c.) The analysis of serial documents provided information on trends and consumption statistics. Qualitative research embedded the data on alcoholic beverages in a cultural context . It also allowed to understand the role of alcohol in diet and everyday life. The serial documents was supplemented with single documents on consumption at the particular household, which enabled an analysis of how alcoholic beverages were administered and to what extent savings policies were implemented.