Kwitantie voor Gerard Bilders Possibly 1863 - 1865

This receipt was created by Frans Buffa en Zonen in Amsterdam in 1843. Though seemingly unimportant, it offers a glimpse into the financial realities of the art world in the Netherlands during the 19th century. The receipt acknowledges a payment of twenty guilders to Gerard Bilders, likely for an artwork or service provided. Examining such documents provides art historians with insight into the economic structures that supported artistic production. How did artists make a living? What was the value placed on their work? Who were their patrons and clients? Receipts like these, along with artists' correspondence, exhibition catalogs, and period newspapers, can help us reconstruct the social networks and institutional frameworks that shaped the art market. By studying these historical materials, we gain a richer understanding of how artists navigated their careers and the social conditions that influenced their creative output. This document serves as a reminder that art is not created in a vacuum but is deeply embedded in its cultural and economic context.