Pieter de Graeff (1638-1707) and His Treffelyke Bibliotheek

Exploring and Reconstructing an Early Modern Private Library as a Book Collection and as a Physical Space
Erscheinungsjahr 2025
ISBN: 978-90-04-70666-8
Verlag: Brill

Buch, Englisch, Dutch, Flemish, Band 134, 276 Seiten, Format (B × H): 155 mm x 235 mm

Reihe: Library of the Written Word / Library of the Written Word - The Handpress World

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 This monograph draws on unpublished archival sources and De Graeff’s book auction catalogue to explore his library and its significance.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.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Piccoli, Chiara

Fachgebiete

• Interdisziplinäres Wissenschaften Wissenschaft und Gesellschaft | Kulturwissenschaften Museumskunde, Materielle Kultur, Erinnerungskultur
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Geschichtswissenschaft Allgemein
• Interdisziplinäres Bibliothekswesen, Informationswissenschaften Bibliothekswesen, Informationswissenschaften, Archivwesen

Inhaltsverzeichnis

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

Über Autor(innen)

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.