Stăneşti farm, Argeş, century. the nineteenth
Representing the ethnographic area of Muscel, the village of Stănești is a scattered settlement with a tendency to become linear on the valley of Doamnei River, a tributary of the Argeș River. Its inhabitants' traditional occupations were forestry, fruit growing, sheep breeding and various crafts.
In order to illustrate the typical folk architecture of this area, local craftsmen rebuilt in the Museum in 1936 the house of villager Popa Stan, dating at the end of the 19th century. The dwalling is raised on a high stone base that shelters the basement made of brick vaults, and has wood beam walls, plastered and whitewashed on the outside. The mild hipped roof has a small shingle covering. The dwelling plan includes the veranda with a masonry parapet, the median foyer with an open hearth and chimney, and two rooms, both heated with masonry stoves. The house access ladder is hidden from view.
In opposition to the architectural sobriety, the numerous wool and cotton weavings in which red is predominant, the careful ornamented distaffs, as well as the Poienița pottery with its decoration made of sinuous white lines or floral motifs, give the interior a warm ambience. Furthermore, the furniture items (dowry chests, cabinet-tables, beds, etc.) illustrate the strong activity of the local centres.
Beside the house, the household includes a summer kitchen, a “povarnă” (brandy distillery), a barn with stable and hayloft and two pens (one for the pigs and the poultry, and the other for pigeons).