THE HAGUE.- From the traditional Dutch ‘vlaflip’ to a royal dessert buffet, from baklava to a Charlotte Russe, from custard and ice cream to delicious gateaux: this winter the history and enjoyment of desserts in Europe will be the focus of a new exhibition at Kunstmuseum Den Haag which opens on 23 November 2024. With exhibits including recipe books, baking tins, dinner services, paintings and much much more, visitors will be able to dive into the delicious world of desserts. A fun combination of art-historical objects and creative contributions from contemporary makers will make for a show full of surprises. Author and TV personality Janny van der Heijden is the guest curator of Grand Dessert – The History of the Dessert.

“A dessert is more than just the ultimate ending to a meal”, says Van der Heijden. “It reflects changes in culture, society and tastes down the centuries. You can tell a lot of stories using desserts. Stories about wealth and poverty, about temptation and deception, dominance and oppression, but first and foremost about love of all things sweet.” Along with Suzanne Lambooy, curator at Kunstmuseum Den Haag, she has been working on Grand Dessert – The History of the Dessert, an exhibition that will make your mouth water. “It will be a must-see for fans of art, culture and history, and for everyone with a sweet tooth. So for everyone, in fact, because who doesn’t love a dessert?”

The joy of dessert
For centuries, milk puddings and custards, ice cream and cakes have been a popular way to end a meal on a sweet note. The word dessert comes from the French verb ‘desservir’, meaning ‘to clear the table’. Dessert was served after the dinner table had been cleared. The exhibition focuses on the enjoyment of desserts in Europe from 1600 to the present day, exploring a number of subjects, including ice cream, custards, cake, fruit, desserts today, royal desserts, French and British desserts. The colonial origins of ingredients like sugar, vanilla and cocoa, the variety of flavours, and the stories behind famous desserts will also feature in the exhibition. The many stories associated with these subjects will be narrated in short videos by Janny van der Heijden and others. There will also be a gallery specially designed for children.

Hundreds of objects
The exhibition will comprise hundreds of objects, both from Kunstmuseum Den Haag’s own collection and on loan from various Dutch museums, castles and country estates, and from a number of private individuals. They will range from baking tins to recipe books, from dinner services to cutlery, from ice cream moulds to menus, and much much more. The exhibition is part of a series of shows at the museum on the subject of food culture. Grand Dessert follows on from Dutch Dining – Four Centuries of Table Settings (2015/2016), which focused mainly on the serving of meals, whereas this latest edition highlighting desserts will look at both the making and serving of food, and will include some surprising and unknown stories. Who knew, for example, that confectionery a forerunner of porcelain?



Catering & activities
Apart from viewing the beautifully presented exhibits, some of which will be displayed in our attractive Period Rooms, visitors will also be able to enjoy appropriate refreshments and a programme of activities including lectures, baking competitions, a demonstration by a leading chef and events linked to festivities like Christmas, Chinese New Year and Eid al-Fitr. There will also be plenty to do for kids, with a special kids’ gallery, and workshops and other activities for all the family.