The doll’s house of Sarah Rothé reveals the façade of a canalside house. Such an 18th-century doll’s house used to be an expensive hobby for wealthy women, not children’s toys. They give us a picture of the ideal home of the time, showing us how well-to-do people used to live. Sara Rothé purchased three doll’s houses at an auction in 1743. She had them converted to two new ones, of which this is one. The other can be seen at Kunstmuseum Den Haag. This doll’s house has been furnished with great care, everything copied as realistically as possible on a scale of 1:10. The house contains almost a thousand items! Fun fact: you can actually read the books in the library. The tiny furniture, paintings and silver objects – like candelabras and tableware – were made by craftsmen who would ordinarily produce the same objects in full-sized versions. Sara Rothé kept a careful record of who made what. She probably did the sewing and embroidery herself. The doll’s house has two sets of doors that close over each other. When all the doors are closed, it resembles an ordinary cabinet. When the outer doors are opened they reveal the façade of a canalside house. When the inner doors are open, the rooms inside can be seen. The house gives us a picture of the ideal home of the time, showing us how well-to-do people used to live.