Emergence of Consumer Cultures: A Cross-Cultural and (Art) Historical Comparison

Historical studies of consumer culture have largely focused on the West. This paper contrasts emerging consumer cultures in the East and the West. Based on historical and art historical archival sources, the period artworks, and interviews with art historians and curators, we compare the origins and nature of consumption in the Dutch Golden Age and Late Ming China. Our approach is to provide a post-Orientalist account of two different spaces and times of consumer culture. That is, we explore and expose these two consumer cultures in relationships and practices that organize them.

We discuss the similarities and differences in these emergent consumer cultures. Our findings suggest that the content of art taken in its context provides a rich understanding of the rise of consumer cultures, but that understanding this content requires a thorough consideration of the cultural context. Our findings provide evidence for the view that independent consumer cultures emerged in the East and oppose those who see the West as the singular origin of consumer culture.