Overview

On 9 July 1709, over 2,300 books were sold at a public auction at the shop of the publishing family Boom in Amsterdam. They comprised the ‘beautiful library’ (treffelyke bibliotheek) of the patrician Pieter de Graeff (1638–1707), member of a prominent regent family. This monograph draws on unpublished archival sources and De Graeff’s book auction catalogue to explore his library and its significance. While tracing the microhistories of De Graeff’s relatives against the backdrop of the Dutch Republic’s unfolding history, this research reveals his book collection as a microcosmos of knowledge accumulated through generations. De Graeff’s boeken kamer -- the library room in his Amsterdam residence – is also investigated and visualized through computer graphics, resulting in an online, interactive and annotated 3D model.

Full Product Details

Author:   Chiara Piccoli
Publisher:   Brill
Imprint:   Brill
Volume:   134
Weight:   0.674kg
ISBN:  

9789004706668

ISBN 10:   9004706666
Pages:   276
Publication Date:   02 April 2025
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Language:   English, Dutch; Flemish, French

Table of Contents

Prologue Acknowledgements List of Figures Abbreviations 1 Introducing the Library of Pieter de Graeff: Sources for an Attempt at Reconstruction  1 Book Structure, Content and Sources 2 Unravelling the Threads: Pieter de Graeff, His Life and Family  1 A Rapid Ascent Interrupted by the Rampjaar (Disaster Year)  2 “Myne seer geliefde en waerde Huysvrouw”: Glimpses of Jacoba Bicker  3 A Passion for Numismatics and Genealogical Research  4 Snapshots of Everyday Life, Illnesses and Death  5 Relatives of Pieter de Graeff: a Family Portrait  6 From Generation to Generation: Pieter’s Inherited Assets  7 Concluding Remarks 3 The VOC Groote Comptoir Almanach as a Primary Source for Pieter’s Book Possession, Circulation and Interests  1 1664–1673  2 1674–1684  3 1685–1695  4 1696–1707  5 Tracing Pieter’s Book Possession and Interests from His Almanacs: Final Remarks 4 Probate Inventories as Sources for Book Ownership: Pieter’s Houses at Herengracht, Valkenburg, Velsen and Ilpendam  1 Herengracht 573  2 Valkenburg  3 Velsen  4 Ilpenstein  5 Book Ownership and Reading Habits: Insights from Probate Inventories 5 ‘Zeer veel raare oude en wel geconditioneerde boeken’: Exploring Pieter’s Book Auction Catalogue  1 The Books in the Auction Catalogue  2 Pieter’s Book Auction Catalogue: Final Thoughts on a Family-Contributed Collection 6 Early Modern Private Libraries as Physical Spaces: ‘Reconstructing’ Pieter’s boeken kamer in 3D  1 The Interior  2 Towards a 3D Reconstruction of the Library’s Interior  3 The Storage Capacity of the boeken kamer  4 Conclusions 7 Epilogue: the Afterlife of Pieter’s Book Collection and Final Remarks  1 Biblia Hebraica punctata cum Masora  2 The Book Auction Catalogue as a Collector’s Item  3 Travelling Through Time and Space with Pieter’s Private Library: Final Thoughts Appendix 1: Transcription and English Translation of Pieter de Graeff’s Diplomas in Canon and Civil Law, University of Orléans, 16 Novembre 1660 Appendix 2: Overview of the Books in Pieter de Graeff’s Auction Catalogue Divided per Subject, Language, Format, Date and Place of Publication Bibliography Index

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Author Information

Chiara Piccoli is a Research Associate at the 4D Research Lab of the University of Amsterdam. In her research she investigates the historical relationship between people, their built environments, and their material culture with the aid of digital methods.

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