Abstract

From the sixteenth century, Antwerp was home to several Portuguese merchants, in whose hands the global gem trade was held. The Duarte and Ximenez families were among the most frequently mentioned names regarding the trade in diamonds, jewels and precious stones. While their economic activities have received ample attention, we know much less about how these Portuguese converso merchants presented themselves as collectors and patrons of the arts. The contribution foregrounds their networks, collections and dealings with precious stones as a central aspect of their activities, in which their social, epistemic, artistic and commercial interests converged. Their prestigious houses in Antwerp became spaces of collecting and places of conversation about art and gemstones