royal showpieces

Edwin Oudshoorn x Paleis het Loo

Paleis Het Loo once again invited guest curator Nicole Uniquole to turn various historically decorated palace rooms into an experience for Royal Showpieces. In five rooms of the palace the historic interior was combined with contemporary Dutch Design. Pieces from our couture collections were placed in various settings within the palace as part of the exhibiton.

Dining at the court

The first edition of Royal Showpieces in the spring of 2014 was a great success. Many visitors appreciated the combination of modern design with the historic palace rooms. In this second edition of Royal Showpieces everything revolves around 'dining' at the court. During the centuries that Het Loo was inhabited, there was also eaten. And not only by the stadholder, later royal, family. The court that surrounded the prince and his family, the service staff in the palace, the kitchen staff, the stable staff, the guests of the Oranges, everyone was fed every day. The palace kitchens were continuous businesses, because here not only meals were prepared, but many were processed themselves. An extensive country estate such as Het Loo formed a community that was more or less self-sufficient. The Loo had its own farms that supplied fresh milk, butter, eggs and meat daily. There was also a large vegetable garden where vegetables and fruit were cultivated and grown. The Het Loo Palace was built as a hunting lodge, so much of the hunt ended up on the table in the palace. The court chefs were extra busy at special receptions. Gala dinners took place in the Grote Eetzaal, the current Painting Gallery. Small dinners were given in the New Dining Room. But a monarch did not feel bound to one place. For example, we know that Queen Mary II used the Great Hall (Audience Room) as her private dining room. Queen Wilhelmina occasionally lunched with tall guests in her sitting room.