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Kitchen - Dutch cabinet kitchen

Dutch cabinet kitchen

  • Object:

    Kitchen

  • Place of origin:

    Netherlands (probably, made)

  • Date:

    1670-1700 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Unknown

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Wood, painted

  • Credit Line:

    Given by Miss Kinkelin

  • Museum number:

    MISC.26-1978

  • Gallery location:

    In Storage

This example of a Dutch kitchen housed in a cabinet is believed to date from the late 17th century. Early German houses served a practical and educational purpose and quite clearly resembled small buildings. However, in Holland, well-to-do Dutch families preferred to store their treasures in cupboards and cabinets of the sort that were used to store linen or china. As a result of Holland's expanding trade with Asia and America at the time a large class of wealthy bankers and merchants had grown up. They liked to demonstrate evidence of their wealth by collecting precious or interesting and new items in cabinets of curiosities. Amongst these were miniatures of household items which were specially commissioned and collected with such enthusiasm that whole households were sometimes reproduced.

Physical description

Wooden cabinet on a stand containing a kitchen room. The interior is wood and fitted out to resemble a Dutch kitchen with a store on the right and a low cupboard decorated with a marquetry star on each door on the left. Above the oven is painted to represent blue and white tiles and a fire. The door is painted to resemble black and white tiles. The walls have been decorated with Dutch baroque floral grotesques. The cabinet doors lock.

Place of Origin

Netherlands (probably, made)

Date

1670-1700 (made)

Artist/maker

Unknown

Materials and Techniques

Wood, painted

Dimensions

Width: 91 cm, Depth: 58 cm, Height: 163 cm

Descriptive line

Fully furnished cabinet kitchen made in Holland between 1670 and 1700

Labels and date

More Deutsch than Dutch?

When Florence Kinkelin gave this cabinet to the Museum, she called it ‘the Dutch Kitchen Cabinet’, and the name has stuck. But some experts think the cabinet came from Germany. Why?

It was fashionable in Holland to store treasures in plain cabinets just like this, but miniature kitchens were popular in Germany.

The corner oven is a German style and the pewter plates are marked with German stamps, but they were sold across Europe. Although the blue and white tiles look Dutch, they were exported internationally.

As neighbours, Germany and Holland traded objects and ideas. Dolls’ houses are material proof that fashions travel across borders and cultures.
[2014]
Every utensil a cook could need can be found in this detailed miniature kitchen. Everyday earthenware containers are mingled with intricate jelly moulds and woven baskets.

The cabinet probably belonged to the wife of a wealthy merchant. Expanding trade with Asia and America was fuelling the development of Holland’s wealthy urban population.

This isn’t a typical kitchen of the time, but one of luxury and prosperity.
[2014]

Materials

Wood

Categories

Dolls & Toys; Furniture; Interiors; Eating

Production Type

Unique

Collection

Museum of Childhood

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