Women of the subalpine nobility. The life of the Martini Martini di Castelnuovo sisters according to their correspondence (1857-1859)

About a hundred letters written in 1857-1859 describe the daily life of two sisters form Nice: Sofia and Sabina Martini di Castelnuovo, the daughters of senator Carlo Anselmo. One is married to Count Somis di Chiavrie and lives in Turin, the other is married to Baron Raiberti and lives in the County of Nice. Theirs are confidential letters that let us into the intimate life of noble Piedmontese families to find out about their customs, their social life, and even their eating habits. The letters describe society gatherings, including balls at the royal palace with Cavour and princess Clotilde, contain echoes of the Second War of Italian Independence and, incidentally, talk about the tight relations between Nice and Turin. The letters bring to life two witnesses of that time and society. Despite their different marriage choices, they keep strong family ties and feel a visceral connection to their roots. An unprecedented collection that depicts individual lives and pages in the history of the Kingdom of Sardinia.