Unique itinerant exhibition of doll houses at the Museum of Decorative Arts (until 17 June)
The Small Worlds exhibition of doll houses is the only one of its kind here. Not only is an exhibition of this type being shown for the first time in our country, but as a result, many people may actually learn about this phenomenon, which somehow entirely bypassed our area, for the first time ever.
What is it all about?
The exhibition showcases luxurious miniature houses including interiors furnished down to the finest detail, which show how people lived when they were made. If you visit the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, you will have a unique opportunity to look into the rooms of houses from the 18th Century to the present. You can light up the tiny homes and listen to the stories of their inhabitants. Above all, you can admire their luxurious masterful craftsmanship, of which there is plenty. A room with an area of around 10 cm² has rugs, wallpaper, paintings, small dishes including fruit and many other details.
If you’ve seen the new American film Downsizing, then this is precisely the size of Leisureland!
Luxurious historical interiors in tiny dimensions
The unique itinerant exhibition, which is stopping in Prague now, was prepared by the V&A Museum of Childhood in London, which has been collecting these “cabinet houses” since 1872. Most of them were donated to the museum by the heirs of the original owners, most of whom are from great families, and by collectors.
These miniature houses have a rich history to the west of our borders: in England, Germany and Holland. They experienced a major boom in Holland in the 17th and 18th Centuries, when they were created in the form of a cabinet, the interior of which was divided into individual floors and rooms.
Toys for Sunday only!
In England, the doll houses served mainly as didactic toys, while in Holland they had a representative role and children could only look at them. Sometimes, these luxurious doll houses were called Sunday houses, because the children could move a doll or other item inside only on holidays.
The exhibit is open until 17 June, and is so interesting and appealing that it will delight both adults and children.
