Weaving a business

Abstract This article sheds new light on the agency of women in the early modern tapestry industry by zooming in on the Amsterdam tapestry producer Clara de Hont (1664–1751). Like most women involved in tapestry making, De Hont’s history was long overshadowed by that of the men around her. She was often referred to solely as the wife or widow of Alexander Baert, with much of her art misattributed to him. This contribution breaks with this androcentric focus. Using new archival findings, it describes De Hont’s role in the establishment and management of her family’s workshop and explores the artistic and entrepreneurial choices she made to keep her business afloat. In addition, De Hont’s situation is compared to that of other women in the tapestry industry in order to emphasize the diversity of strategies that women had to use to carve out spaces for themselves and survive in a male-dominated field.