Author Description

The 17th-century dolls’ houses of the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam were not children's toys but richly decorated cupboards, fitting into the tradition of the “collectors’ cabinets”. They were commissioned by well-to-do women. Cabinet-makers, sculptors, glassblowers and other craftsmen worked on these dolls' houses, probably under the supervision of the women who commissioned them. The two 17th-century dolls' houses in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam offer us a fascinating insight into the interior and household of Amsterdam mansions during this period.