Peasants Making Silk; Carrying and Spreading Cocoons

Workers of all ages are seen here in what was likely a large-scale silk processing business, spreading silkworm cocoons to dry in the Italian sun. There are workers emptying large, flat baskets of cocoons onto the woven mats and workers carrying rolled mats of already dry cocoons. If you look up to the window at the top left, you can see a woman spinning the silkworm fibers into silk thread. Due to the large number of mulberry trees planted around and near Lake Como, Italy, the region was known for its silk production and Como was known as "The City of Silk."