ABSTRACT
This chapter examines how painters collectively coordinated their behaviours in a seller’s market between 1610 and 1630 and how their socially informed choices established the tripartite structure of the art market from different locations in Amsterdam. Following the market segment-specific playbooks, high-end painters clustered near Sint Antoniesbreestraat, attracting patrons from all over the city to their studios. Lower-end painter-art dealers explored the new area to the west, while mid-tier painters, situated in various parts of the city, struggled to define a playbook of their own. However, the favourable market conditions did not translate into significant financial gains for most artists. Instead, family support and established social networks remained crucial, underscoring the inherently social nature of the art market.
