Setting the table

The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is the Netherlands’ largest museum. It takes you on a journey through Dutch art and history from the Middle Ages right up to the present day.

In this exhibition, we are presenting a selection of paintings from the 17th century. These still lifes and scenes of daily life function like windows into the past and tell us about the dining and eating culture. Even though they present a distorted picture of reality, we can still learn a lot from them. What did people eat? Who sold the ingredients? And where did the food come from?

People from all over the world came together in the Netherlands. It was a hub for different cultures, products, and tastes. Trade with countries outside Europe grew. And this is reflected on the table. Chinese porcelain became a must-have for wealthy citizens when they set their tables. Local products were combined with foods from all over the world. Salt, pepper, and imported spices added flavour to meals.

Fish Market - Cornelis Dusart

oil on canvas, 1683
In this painting, a woman is busy cleaning several fish at her market stall. It was very common for many middle-class women to earn their living by selling goods and food. They even made up the majority in the fish trade. Their jobs varied from selling and delivering fish to supplying fish baskets.

Rijksmuseum Schiphol: Vismarkt - Cornelis Dusart

Still Life with Fruit - Pieter Gallis

oil on canvas, 1673

The types of fruit depicted here had been cultivated for thousands of years before they became known in the Netherlands. Grapes originated in Italy and Spain; peaches came from China; and melons from Persia, South Egypt, or India. Thanks to the global trade, newly introduced fruit made its way into the kitchens of affluent North European citizens, as well as into their still-life paintings.

Rijksmuseum Schiphol: Still Life with Fruit - Pieter Gallis

Still Life - Pieter Gallis

oil on canvas, 1667

Two worlds meet in this painting: a crab from the Mediterranean lies next to a porcelain bowl from China. Before the 17th century, Chinese porcelain was rare in Europe. However, starting in 1602, the Dutch East India Company (VOC) began shipping large quantities of porcelain to the Netherlands and other parts of the world. Due to its high cost, a more affordable alternative soon emerged: Delftware.

Rijksmuseum Schiphol: Still Life - Pieter Gallis

The Herring Seller - Gabriel Metsu

oil on panel, 1661-1662

With a critical eye, the woman in this painting inspects the herring being offered to her by a herring merchant. Unlike what is common today in the Netherlands, fish was primarily consumed in the morning and afternoon during the 17th century. Additionally, there was an abundant supply of fresh fish on Catholic fasting days such as Fridays, when meat was not eaten.

Rijksmuseum Schiphol: The Herring Seller - Gabriël Metsu

Man and Woman at the Breakfast Table - Gabriel Metsu

oil on canvas on panel, 1650-1660

On the table is a plate with a ham, cheese, and bread. For the average family, this was a typical breakfast, sometimes supplemented by fish. The woman is about to pour some beer into her flute glass. In those days, people hardly drank any water but beer was quite popular and drunk all day long. Women dominated the trade of both breadmaking and beer brewing.

Rijksmuseum Schiphol: Man and Woman at the Breakfast Table - Gabriël Metsu

Still Life with Fruit and Oysters - Abraham Mignon

oil on canvas, 1660-1669

This carefully laid table likely never existed in reality. However, the food items depicted did form part of the meals enjoyed by the wealthy. They washed down fresh fruit and oysters with a glass of fine wine. Despite appearing local, many of the products and raw materials were imported from neighbouring countries. For instance, bread was baked locally, but the used grain came from countries bordering the Baltic Sea.

Rijksmuseum Schiphol: Still Life with Fruit and Oysters - Abraham Mignon

Man and Woman with a Child in Front of a Farmhouse - David Teniers II

oil on canvas, c. 1650-1655

This scene includes a little still life of pans, jugs, and vegetables. Particularly interesting are the artichokes on the barrel next to the green cabbages. Artichokes originally came from the Mediterranean region and were introduced into Northern Europe in the late 16th century. Carrots, cabbages, and artichokes were all harvested in the autumn.

Rijksmuseum Schiphol: Man and Woman with a Child in Front of a Farmhouse - David Teniers II

Still Life with Rummer, Salt Cellar, Tobacco, Lemon, and Olives - Jan Jansz van de Velde III

oil on canvas, 1651

This painting showcases the wealth of products brought to the Netherlands by various trading companies. Tobacco and salt were obtained by the Dutch West India Company (WIC). Tobacco came mainly from South America, while salt was initially imported from Spain and Portugal until the Eighty Years’ War and thereafter from Cape Verde and Brazil. Trade was the primary driver of Dutch prosperity during this time.

Rijksmuseum Schiphol: Still Life with Rummer, Salt Cellar, Tobacco, Lemon, and Olives - Jan Jansz van de Velde III

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