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Female Consumption at the Swedish Eighteenth-Century Court. What a Duchess’ Cash-books Reveal
| I propose to present a case study of the personal cash-books of the Swedish Duchess Charlotte from 1787 to 1792. Drawing my analysis from this source material, my paper will discuss a princess’ financial autonomy, daily occupations and furthermore the female consumer habits of the Swedish court. Thus, I will contribute to the discussion on conspicuous consumption and the significance of lavish expenditure among eighteenth-century elites.
An in-depth study of a royal lady’s actual expenses was rarely made. Hence, I aim initially to clarify the fundamental matters on how the Duchess spent her money, what were considered personal costs at court, and what was provided for her by her husband and his brother, the King. The courtier and politician count Axel von Fersen the older remarks in his memoirs that “the Duchess had some debts, although she was not in the least extravagant”. According to the count, the reason was that her allowance was “too modest to suffice for her personal costs and garments”. Whether the Duchess’ debts were necessary or not is of course difficult to judge: nevertheless, the cash-books reveal that the Duchess provided for her servant’s clothing, boxes at the theatre for her ladies in waiting, interior decoration such as gilding and refurbishing, tuning of her harp − beyond the expected expenses such as her wardrobe, books, alms and gambling.
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