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From Balinese woodcarvings to Batavian silverware, from Indonesian krisses to Chinese porcelain, and from betel boxes to Indo-European paintings: the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag is set to unveil a vast range of objects that bring the enthralling world of the Orient vividly to life. Its new 'Asian Art and Dutch Taste' exhibition uses the private collection of Jan Veenendaal plus some additional items from the Gemeentemuseum's own holdings to illustrate the interaction between East and West over the last four hundred years. The show reveals how the marriage of styles and cultures produced a multitude of unique and extraordinary objects. From the seventeenth century on, a host of Dutch citizens lived in the Far East on a permanent or temporary basis. They all had one thing in common: they went there first and foremost in search of wealth and opportunities that were beyond their grasp in Europe. Countless Dutchmen and foreigners sought their fortunes in Asia in the service of the Dutch East India Company (established in 1602). Their main motivation was trade with and within Asia, but the encounter with previously unknown cultures had an impact not only on Dutch society, but equally on Asian communities. The effects of this culture shock on the material culture of both East and West should never be underestimated. This exhibition shows why.