Spatial Reading of Inventories: A New Approach to Reconstructing Seventeenth-Century Amsterdam Interiors

This article introduces a novel methodological framework—the “spatial reading of inventories”—to reconstruct domestic interiors in seventeenth-century Amsterdam. By integrating probate inventories with architectural floor plans, this study establishes three house typologies with schematic 3D drawings that resolve ambiguities in room labels and spatial organization, bridging the gap between architectural history and material culture studies. Focusing on methodological innovation, this article both reveals how house size and structure created distinct spatial context and breathes new life into the well-researched probate inventories by using its untapped spatial information. While using seventeenth-century Amsterdam as a case study, this approach offers a model for studying historical domestic spaces across contexts and provides a foundation for future analyses of object placement, sensory experience, and cultural practices at home.