A Woman in the Art Supply Trade: Unveiling the Business and Skills of Ermptgen van Putten in Seventeenth-Century Rotterdam

This article corrects the long-standing misattribution of a seventeenth-century Rotterdam paint shop, revealing that it was not run by Abraham van Bubbeson, but by his wife Ermptgen van Putten. Drawing on newly discovered archival sources and a “reading against the grain” of existing documents, this study demonstrates that van Putten successfully managed a shop that offered a wide range of painting materials to a diverse clientele, from renowned painters to artisans. She likely possessed extensive material knowledge, maintained a broad supplier network, strategically tailored her inventory to meet market demands, and had technical expertise in preparing ready-mixed “wet” paint. The case of van Putten challenges traditional perceptions of Dutch seventeenth-century paint sellers and broadens our understanding of women’s roles in the art market by highlighting their involvement in a crucial yet understudied step of the artistic supply chain.