Material Culture in Sixteenth Century Venice: A Sample from Probate Inventories, 1510-1615

Abstract

This paper presents a panel of data about material culture in early modern Venice. The data are taken from three samples of Venetian probate inventories drawn up voluntarily from Venetian widows in the years 1510-1615, at intervals of roughly fifty years. The entire period has been divided into two subgroups of three years each (1511-1513, 1560-1562), and one of six years (1610-1615). The selection of goods tries to reflect the variety of objects appearing in written lists of Venetian interiors (pieces of furniture, paintings, musical instruments, tableware, cloths), though it aims to present a view of domestic interiors in early modern Venice that pays special regard to less essential goods.

Keywords: Material culture, Venice, early-modern economic history, consumption, social orders, dowry legislation, probate inventories

JEL Classification: D120, D310, N330, R210, Y200