Kwitantie voor Johannes Hilverdink Possibly 1874 - 1879

This receipt for Johannes Hilverdink was created by Alberto Caramelli in 1874. At first glance, this appears to be an ordinary piece of ephemera. Yet, the paper is marked with meticulous handwriting, with the account of a financial transaction: forty guilders, paid to Caramelli for a watercolor seascape. Consider the context: in the nineteenth century, the art market was booming, as a rising middle class sought to furnish their homes with affordable artworks. Watercolors, relatively quick and easy to produce, fit the bill. The seascape would have been a desirable subject, evoking both the power and the picturesqueness of nature. This humble document thus encapsulates the economics of art, and reminds us that even the most celebrated masterpieces are entangled with commerce, labor, and the everyday business of making a living. It also serves as a reminder of the social conditions in which art is made, bought, and sold. Even a seemingly unremarkable receipt can offer a glimpse into the complex relationships between art, money, and society.