Household Heroines Maria van Nesse’s memory-book and the interplay between the art market and household consumption

This essay is about the discovery of Maria van Van Nesse’s ledger, which was hidden in a Belgian family archive. With 123 mentions of paintings and drawings, listed among over 3,500 household expenses, Van Nesse instantly became the best documented art buyer of the seventeenth-century Republic, regardless of gender. This essay compares her impact on the art market with that of her sister, Adriana. Furthermore, by applying household consumption theory to art history, and by adding a gender dimension to socio-economic studies, this essay studies the behavioral patterns and decision-making process underlying the purchase of paintings for the household. In so doing, it sheds new light on the market for luxury goods, including artworks, and the retail landscape.