The history of dining: Overview with videos

Take a look at the dining room and get to know historical characters and their eating habits in five different videos.

Part 1: 1610
Until the beginning of the seventeenth century, Antwerp led the way in the production and distribution of luxury items. A table full of silver was considered a status symbol for a long time. Anthonis tells how he dined in 1610 and liked to demonstrate his wealth.

Part 2: 1670
Do you find it a hassle to set your table according to proper etiquette? Are you not sure where to put the butter knife or dessert fork? Then dining as it happened in 1670 might be more your thing. There were no forks. You only had a knife. You ate with your hands. Knowing more? See how Catharina, wife of a beer brewer, dined in 1670.

Part 3: 1780
French art and culture were leading in the eighteenth century and had a great influence on style developments in the Southern Netherlands. The court and capital of Brussels became the fashion center to be followed in our own country. In the course of the eighteenth century, the dining table was equipped with all kinds of objects in line with an increasingly refined dining culture: sets for oil and vinegar, salt mustard barrels, shakers for pepper and sugar, sauce boats and terrines. A luxurious table, gracefully set with a wide variety of utility silver, was the ideal way to distinguish oneself and matching silver tableware was a desirable status symbol. However, it was so expensive that it could rarely be purchased in one go. In the following video, Maria Lucretia describes how she had her table set in 1780.

Part 4: 1865
After the French Revolution, the court was no longer the center of power and luxury. See how Antoon and his guests ate in 1865.

Volume 5: 1898
In Belgium, too, the power of the nobility waned in the nineteenth century and a new elite emerged, mainly consisting of industrialists and bankers. Belgium was a leader in the industrialization process, which widened the gap between rich and poor. While the working class lived mainly on potatoes and rye bread, elite food showed increasing variety. The culinary innovation spread from France. Curious about how a festive meal went in 1898? Mrs. Lesiere tells you.