Cultural Exchange
In the 17th century, the Dutch East India Company (VOC) established trading posts in Iran and India. Alongside economic and diplomatic relations, cultural exchange also flourished. As early as the 16th century, Dutch prints reached India and Iran, brought by Portuguese traders. In turn, Indian and Iranian miniatures soon became part of various Dutch collections.
From the Netherlands, these miniatures spread across Europe. They became so popular that some Indian workshops began producing art specifically for the European market. Over the next six months, the Asian Pavilion highlights this exchange with a special presentation featuring miniatures made for European patrons, as well as engravings and drawings by Goltzius and Rembrandt—artists who found inspiration in the miniatures circulating in the Netherlands.