Resumen de An Entrepreneurial Silk Weaver in Renaissance Florence
Analyzes 32 account books kept by Florentine weaver of silks and brocades Iacopo di Tedesco (d. 1548) during his working life, 1490-1539, as well as his nine years of retirement. The books recount the activities of nine of the ten partnerships he participated in as well as his personal income and expenditures. Since weaving constituted the most expensive part of the production process and since Tedesco and his enterprises concentrated on high-quality products, he contributed greatly to the economic development of his city by generating a highly skilled workforce and valuable products for sale at high prices. Unfortunately, he also employed large numbers of low-skilled, low-wage workers whose lot in life and contribution to the economy were less enviable. In this, the silk industry contrasted starkly with the contemporary Florentine wool industry. After Tedesco's retirement, the silk industry underwent a change making it more like the wool industry, producing simpler, low-end material and leveling the skill level of the workforce.
