Placing Value in Domestic Interiors

Abstract

This article explores the interplay between place and value in the display of art in domestic spaces in seventeenth-century Amsterdam, using the painting collection of Pieter de Graeff (1638-1707) and Jacoba Bicker (1640-1695) as a case study. With the aid of a schematic 3D reconstruction of their house, based on De Graeff’s inventory and other sources, this research brings these artworks back to their original domestic context, testing hypotheses regarding their placement and visual impact while investigating display patterns. The 3D spatial mapping of De Graeff’s inventory connects the paintings’ monetary values with their location, and helps evaluate the symbolic and emotional values attributed to family portraits and other artworks. The article is accompanied by a methodological section in the HTML format detailing the 3D reconstruction process and sources.