Vrouwe van Blyenborgh had coffers filled with petticoats of scarlet cloth and also of wool cloth, coarse grey, black and white linen under petticoats, jackets, hoop skirts, mantles and rain cloaks. Her cupboards and coffers also included: rich robes of sarcenet and serge of fire colour, rose colour and ground colour, covered with ribbons, bows, galloons; bodices embroidered and trimmed with lace and fringe; petticoats garnished with fringe of fire colour; grey cloth dresses lined with blue serge; and Japanese night robes of dead leaf colour, embellished with aurora hued flowers and lined with wadding. Neatly folded among these rich articles were white satin robes lined with amaranth taffeta, black velvet robes with cloth of silver, and petticoats embroidered with golden flowers and lined with taffeta d’Avignon. She also had some cloth of gold valued at £16 a yard.
Plate XLI.—Breakfast, by G. Metsu, Dresden.
Dress and furniture became so extravagant during this period that the stage ridiculed the lavish expenditure, and the other censor of public morals—the pulpit—denounced the needless splendour as degrading before God and men. The Dordrecht preacher, Joh. Becius, exclaimed: “Are the pride and splendour of to-day more extreme than with the people of Israel? Certainly not; but rather worse; for women go about, not only with bare necks, but half-bared bosoms partly covered with a thin net or cambric cloth—and in the robes and dresses they are more splendid than the proud peacock, more changeable than the chameleon or the weather-cock on the church steeple. They almost dance along the streets dressed up as dolls for a kermesse; and these creatures, so gaily attired, vie with each other to enter the Lord’s House where is preached Christ born in a manger and wrapped in swaddling clothes.”
Among the other vanities carefully preserved in the drawers and on the shelves were the fans, masks, lace and jewels; châtelaines, ribbons, hats, bonnets and caps; silk, cloth and serge stockings richly embroidered; fancy shoes and slippers with high heels, and leather and silk gloves sweetly perfumed. Vrouwe van Blyenborgh had a number of thin, beautiful, scented, leather gloves; a large stock of “shoework” of silk, satin, gold and silver leather, and yellow, green and scarlet stockings. We must not forget to mention the round silver mirrors suspended from gold hooks at the belt, and the delicately painted miniatures worn as lockets or breast-pins.
The great kas was as conspicuous in the houses of the Dutch colonists as it was at home. Every inventory of the prosperous burgher of New Amsterdam mentions it, and it is highly appraised. To take a few instances: “One great case covered with French nutwood and two black knots (balls) under it, £13” (1685); “a cupboard or case of French nutwood, £20” (1686); a white oak cupboard, £2 5s. (1688); a large cupboard, £6 (1690); cupboard for clothes, a press and porcelain, £5; and a “Holland cubbart furnished with earthenware and porcelain,” £15 (1692); a great black walnut cupboard, £10 (1702); a Dutch painted cupboard, £1 (1702); a black walnut cupboard, £9 (1703); and a case of nutwood, £10 (1712). The kas was often a valued bequest: Mrs. van Varick had one “great Dutch kas that could not be removed from Flatbush”; and, therefore, was sold for £25.
Plate XLII.—Interior, by Jan Steen. The Hague.
In the rooms of the Castle of Develstein were standing mirrors and mirrors in ebony, metal and crystal frames, on the walls; and in the “salon” was a mirror of Venetian glass. In this room was seen the “kingwood hall buffet,” where, on festive or ceremonial occasions, the family silver and crystal were exhibited, such as silver plates, dishes, spoons, knives, beakers, decanters and mugs, silver-mounted horns and night cups—all engraved with the family arms, or with conventional rhymes or mottoes. In the “salon” or “show salon” was placed the “root-wood (root of the walnut tree) table,” formed like steps (a survival of the dressoir), on which the rarest and finest porcelains were shown. Here also was the richly carved walnut kas containing a rare display of fine china, while on the wall walnut racks, beautifully carved and ornamented with gold, the handsomest plaques were arranged. There was also a pewter table in this room, on which stood many pewter dishes, cups, tankards, etc., engraved with the family arms; but most of the pewter was kept in the pewter cupboards (tinkasten), in the pewter room, or in rows upon the dresser in the kitchen, ready for immediate use. Silver table-ware was not in general use, for pewter took its place as an everyday article. Among the glassware shown in this room were cordial, wine and beer glasses, chalices and loving-cups of white and green glass, engraved with arms, ornaments, proverbs, and shell-like Venetian glasses, supposed to be proof against poison.
Two interesting examples of kasten are given on Plates XLIII and XLIV.