'XXSmall', a day at the museum.

Yesterday I visited the exhibition XXSmall at the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague.  It was fan-tas-tic!  Room after room after room filled with dollshouses, dolls and miniatures from the 17th century to the present.   It took us four and a half hours to see everything!

I will show you a small selection of the photos I took.


 One of my favourite dollshouses is this 18th century canal house. It has lost its original colours and most of its furnishings, but I still love it.  It has a wonderful staircase which unfortunately is not visible when the facade is closed. 



 




 

 This Italian Palazzo is gorgeous.  Unfortunately it was very difficult to photograph due to reflecting light. 






 This stunning tortoise shell writing cabinet is a bit bigger than 12th scale. I love the light shining through the back showing the beautiful pattern of the material. The silver mounts are gorgeous against the tortoise shell.








 Beautiful beds, a little larger than 12th scale.  I love the bed in the cabinet, maybe this was meant for the smaller home, or perhaps for guests? 









There is a huge collection of 18th century silver miniatures on show at the exhibition.  As I love silver I could not resist taking many photos.  These were some of my favourites. 

The exhibition runs until  March 25th. 


Comments

  1. How lucky to have been allowed to take photos. Some museums don't allow photography. And what amazing items in the collection for the exhibition, I like the canal house and the beds.

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  2. What a lovely selection of minis and a gorgeous Canal House. I like that a lot.

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  3. Thanks so much for sharing! I got the catalogue a few months ago, and it is nice as well. Not as good as being there, though, right?!

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  4. Thanks for sharing your fun viewing pleasure. WOW... I love the bits of lace on the beds. And, the silver collection is fantastic. I want some of these itmes for my dollhouse...yeah, sure. A girl can wish.

    xoso
    Sandy

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  5. I love antique doll houses for the unparalleled elegance of form and matter, perhaps because yesterday more today, they were not toys!
    I'm going to take care of, on my blog, a review of some books that explain the most famous and oldest dollhouses, because I realized that there is little information on. Years ago, I spent wonderful hours in Amsterdam, wandering the halls of the Rijksmuseum, trying to compensate with the imagination that I could not see through the windows of beautiful Dutch dollshouses :-)
    The silver samovar is fabulous, thanks for always showing these wonderful things :-)
    Mini lovely hugs,
    Flora

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  6. Het was erg mooi om te zien. Alleen jammer dat daar zoveel donker binnen was. Te ver afstand om te bekijken. De kastje is van schildpadschild gemaakt. De licht komt door de achterwand binnen,mooi he!
    Ik snap eigenlijk niet hoe men vroeger maakten met gereedschap??. Wij gebruiken nu met dremel,boormachine,enz...

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  7. Thank you for sharing these beauties. The silver pieces are exquisite.

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  8. Thank you for sharing. It's a wonderful exhibition.
    Hugs Dorien

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  9. Oh so wonderful; I wish I might see it.See you at Arnhem, we'll be there on Saturday 24th.Rosanna

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  10. I see that you "finally" visited the exibition. And your friend found her new dollhouse, right? Which is also my favorite I have to admit.

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  11. Thank you for sharing these photos! How lucky to see such a wonderful exhibit!

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  12. I adore that huge dollhouse.....and all the silver ware, so exquisite!!!! How wonderful to spend time looking at such delights.

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  13. Hi Josje,

    it's always so lovely to experience these images though your blog. I would otherwise not have the chance. Thank you for sharing.

    Fi x

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  14. Great Post! Thanks for sharing part of your adventure. The museum has some very beautiful pieces.

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  15. Hoi Josje
    Ik vond dit huis helemaal geweldig,jammer dat het dicht was en bijna leeg.
    groet adrie

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  16. Oh, Wow, how lovely!!!! I love that cabinet bed, must have been warmer in winter way back when there wasn't any central heating!!! But what really caught my eye is that embroidered coverlet, it just so beautiful. I have been searching for an Arts & Crafts design that I can embroider for the Brass bed I am going to make in June.

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  17. hoi Josje,
    Leuk dat je daar foto`s hebt gemaakt!
    Ik was er zondag en dit is even nagenieten op je Blog, de bedden waren ook favoriet bij mij. Al met al een geweldige tentoonstelling.
    groetjes van Margot

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  18. Thank you for sharing these great photos. I couldn't pick a favorite I LOVE it all!

    I bet you had a great time! I wish there was going to be a show report part two.

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  19. Hey Josje, dat was even mooi he?
    Ik heb ook enorm genoten.
    Wat een mooie foto's heb je gemaakt.
    Ik krijg weer helemaal het opgetogen gevoel van de tentoonstelling.
    Heb je het boek ook gekocht?
    Dat is nl ook heel leuk.

    Fijn week-end nog, groetjes, Alexandra.

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  20. looks like a great exhibition, wish I was able to get to see it, but it's nice to see your pictures, thank you for sharing them with us!

    The silverware and bed covers are particularly fine!

    regards
    Andy

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  21. Dollmum,yes photography was allowed as long as you didn't use flash. It is great to have your own photos in combination with the photos in the exhibition catalogue. Modern digital photography allows you to see things in much more detail.

    Irene, I have always loved that canal house. It was the first time I saw it in real life though! And I still love it. :-)

    Callsmall, the catalogue is wonderful, but of course seeing everything up close is better! I would even want to go again but don't think I have the time.

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  22. Sandy, oh yes, I would love some of these items as well!

    Flora, yes the two dollshouses at the Rijksmuseum are so beautiful and have given me much enjoyment as well. Dis they not have the doors open when you were there?

    Lisette, Ja een beetje jammer dat je niet goed naar binnen kon kijken. Ik had zo graag die trap willen zien, die is zo mooi! Wij hadden het er ook al over dat die mensen vroeger zó goed waren met eenvoudige gereedschappen. Dat soort vakmanschap kom je tegenwoordig niet snel meer tegen. Ik denk wel eens dat juist omdat het voor ons makkelijker is om snel een leuk resultaat te krijgen, je niet verder gaat met specialiseren. Het kost natuurlijk ook enorm veel tijd, iets dat we tegenwoordig ook niet veel meer hebben (althans, zo lijkt het).

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  23. Rosanna, I will email you so we can arrange to meet over coffee or so! I don't want to miss an opportunity to meet you in real life!!

    Jeffry, yes, thankfully we were all able to get our schedules to work together. I'm not sure which dollshouse you mean for my friend?

    Adrie, ik vond het ook jammer dat het dicht was. In het grote poppenhuizenboek staat het uitgebreid beschreven, ook dat er niet veel meer over is van het oorspronkelijke interieur, dus misschien dat het daarom dicht was. Die gevel is wel imposant!

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  24. Elga, the embroidery on this bed was gorgeous! There were also many pieces of exquisitely made(embroidered) dolls clothing at the exhibition. Something you would have appreciated as well I am sure!

    Hallo Margot, Ja het was echt genieten daar. Nou niet alleen die bedden hoor, die popjes van de dames Lafitte-Désirat, daar hebben we echt bij staan kwijlen! Jij ook wel denk ik zo?

    Catherine, I may have a few extra photos for part two... ;-) I just have to wait for my friend to email me a few photos as my battery went dead halfway through the exhibition :-(

    Alexandra, jaaaa het boek heb ik natuurlijk ook gekocht. Prachtig!

    Andy, yes it was great to see such a huge and wonderful exhibition. We are lucky to have such wonderful collections which survived over the centuries.

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  25. What an awesome exhibition! I have admired that canal house from books for years.

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  26. Hahaha.......well the one she stares at in the first picture ofcourse!

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  29. Bonjour ,
    Je suis a Amsterdam et je vois votre maison à chaque coin de rue . Je pense donc très souvent à vouss et à votre travail .
    Nous avons visitez ce matin le musée que vous m aviez conseillé . C est magnifique et si français .... J ai adoré le travail des peintures sur les murs . Votre maison est elle la réplique d une maison du grand canal ? Ou est ce un mélange de plusieurs maisons . Amsterdam est une ville charmante . Nous adorons les vélos hollandais .

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    Replies
    1. Hello Catherine! I'm glad you're enjoying your visit to Amsterdam! You're certainly lucky with the nice weather we're having at the moment.
      Funny you think the museum is very French, but of course France had a huge influence on all art and architecture in our country (and other countries). In general the Dutch style is less ornate than the French.

      My house is a mixture of several houses I have seen, and all manner of information I have found on the period with a bit of my own ideas thrown in there.

      Enjoy the rest of your visit if you're not home already!

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