“Fait à mes heures de loisir”: Women’s Private Libraries as Spaces of Learning and Knowledge Production

The Duchesses Elisabeth Sophie Marie (1683–1767) and Philippine Charlotte of Brunswick- Wolfenbüttel (1716–1801) both owned substantial collections of several thousand books. Elisabeth’s library primarily contained theological literature, including 1200 Bibles and a unique collection of texts by Martin Luther, which she used to compose theological pamphlets. In addition, she granted access to her collection to selected scholars who, in turn, used the holdings for their research. Although more diversified, Philippine Charlotte’s library functioned as a similar meeting place for scholars of the region and beyond. Moreover, her papers offer an insight into the interaction between her book use and the writing that she did in her free time. In contrast to the usage practices of the neighbouring ducal library, Philippine Charlotte was free to consult the books she wanted in the privacy of her chambers for as long as she wanted to and, most importantly, without fear of being judged. It is certain that, in both cases, the privacy of the library gave the women the freedom to pursue intellectual interests, which were hard to combine with their public role as Duchesses. The fact that both women expanded their libraries considerably after becoming widows only supports the observation that private and “leisure” time could take more space. Based on these findings, this chapter argues that women’s learning and knowledge production in the early modern period both benefitted from and, in many cases, needed privacy.