Cupboard c. 1635 - 1645

This cupboard was created by Herman Doomer, a cabinet maker in 17th century Amsterdam, a time when the Dutch Republic was a major center of global trade and artistic innovation. This large ebony cabinet inlaid with ivory and mother-of-pearl, represents both wealth and a sense of the world. Objects like this suggest the domestic sphere of the Dutch elite was being shaped by global trade and exchange, bringing in novel materials that were then transformed into statements of identity and status. Note the contrast between the dark ebony and the lustrous inlays, which elevate the piece. The cabinet, in its very construction, speaks to the interwoven threads of commerce, craft, and identity in the Golden Age.