On 29 October 2026, I visited the Allard Pierson Museum in Amsterdam for the first time. One exhibition I explored was "The Art of Transformation" ("De kunst van het transformeren"), which brings together three seemingly unrelated subjects: a Dutch revue star, an eighteenth-century miniature theatre, and the use of clothing to transform identity. I must admit that I found the exhibition a little confusing at first.
As I continued exploring, I began to appreciate the idea behind it: Transformation is not limited to changing how something looks. It can change how we present ourselves, how an audience perceives us, and even how we experience a physical space. Unexpectedly, my favorite part was a miniature theatre built more than two centuries ago.
Louisette: From an Ordinary Life to the Stage
The exhibition begins with the story of Louisette, a Dutch revue performer whose career centered on transformation. Historical photographs, theatre posters, sheet music, and elaborate costumes reveal a woman who could become a different character simply by changing what she wore and how she performed.
One detail that stayed with me was the extraordinary number of costumes she traveled with. I remember reading that she traveled with about twenty dresses and changed her appearance frequently during performances. The costumes let her move between characters and places, sometimes appearing in traditional Dutch clothing and at other times adopting entirely different styles.
As I walked through the displays, music played in the background. It sounded familiar, although I couldn't remember the song's name. Among the historical material was sheet music for "Tranen?", a work associated with Louisette, with words and music credited to Armand Haagman. The photographs showed she had been a celebrated performer. Her public image clearly reflected great creativity. But I found myself asking a different question. Who was Louisette before she became Louisette?
I wanted to know more about the woman behind the performer. What was her life like before she stepped on stage? What motivated her? How did she build her career? How did she become Louisette? The exhibition presented the artist beautifully, but I left wishing I had understood more about the person. Perhaps that is also part of the theme of transformation: the public sees the character, while the person behind it can remain hidden.
The Slingelandt Theatre: My Favorite Discovery
The second section was, without question, the most impressive part of the exhibition for me. At its center stands Baron van Slingelandt's chamber theatre, a remarkable miniature theatre dating from 1781. At first, it looks like a beautifully decorated historical object. But the more you explore its construction, the more extraordinary it becomes.
This wasn't just a theatre. It was a functioning system designed to create theatrical illusions. According to the museum, Hieronymus van Slingelandt commissioned the theatre in 1781 and installed it in his home's attic. His son, Hieronymus Nicolaas van Slingelandt, later used the miniature stage to experiment with scenery and theatrical designs. The theatre was also used for private performances for family members and people connected to the theatre world.
What surprised me most was discovering that some of these performances didn't involve actors, singing, or dancing. The audience came to watch the scenery change. Imagine being invited into someone's home more than two hundred years ago, not to watch a play, but to admire an entire world appearing and disappearing before your eyes.
Creating Depth Where There Is Very Little Space
The theatre's designers understood perspective remarkably well. Painted side panels, overhead elements, and backdrops worked together to create the illusion of a much deeper stage. Even the floor rose slightly toward the back, strengthening the visual effect. The scenery was attached to a system of rails, ropes, and wooden cylinders. By operating these mechanisms, the stage could be transformed within seconds.
One backdrop, known as "The Cave", had thirteen variations. Different combinations revealed rocky formations, a waterfall, a sea view, or a mountain town. Standing in front of the theatre, I thought about how much knowledge and preparation went into creating these effects, as nothing was accidental. Every painted element, every angle, and every movement had a purpose.
The Magic of Lighting
As a photographer, I was particularly fascinated by the lighting. The theatre used candles and oil lamps positioned to illuminate the scenery and strengthen the illusion of perspective. One of the most inventive examples was a scene depicting an eruption of Mount Vesuvius. An oil lamp placed behind a semitransparent backdrop created the impression of volcanic activity. Long before digital effects, people used light, carefully painted surfaces, and simple mechanical systems to create something an audience could believe was real.
Of course, using open flames inside theatres was extremely dangerous. Many historical theatres burned down, so the Slingelandt Theatre's survival is especially remarkable. The museum now uses safer LED lighting to demonstrate the effect.
Behind the Scenes
One of my favorite photographs from this visit shows the machinery behind the theatre. From the front, the stage looks elegant and almost magical. From behind, it is a complicated arrangement of ropes, wooden structures, rails, and painted panels. And that contrast is precisely what I loved. The illusion is beautiful, but understanding how it was created makes it even more impressive.
Photography works in a similar way. We choose the light, perspective, framing, and moment. The person looking at the finished photograph sees the result, but rarely all the decisions that made it possible. I found it fascinating that theatrical designers used many of these same visual principles centuries ago.
Clothing, Crossdressing and the Transformation of Identity
The third section explores transformation through clothing, performance and the presentation of identity. It includes elaborate costumes, photographs and videos, alongside contemporary work exploring crossdressing and performers taking on roles of another gender. The exhibition introduces photographic work by Diana Blok, whose portraits explore the relationship between appearance, identity, and performance.
The idea is interesting: clothing can be much more than decoration. It can let someone inhabit a character, challenge expectations, or express a side of themselves that isn't always visible. However, this was the section I connected with the least. The costumes and photographs were striking, but I struggled to follow the larger story. I wanted to understand more about the people, the decisions behind their appearances, and what those transformations meant to them.
Instead, I sometimes felt as though I was looking through a cabinet of curiosities: beautiful and intriguing objects, but without enough narrative context to connect everything. The subject did interest me. I wanted the exhibition to tell me more.
Three Rooms, One Idea
By the end, I could see how the three sections connected. Louisette transformed herself into different characters through performance and costume. The Slingelandt Theatre transformed a small physical space into entirely different landscapes through perspective, machinery, and lighting. The final section explored how clothing and performance can transform identity and the way someone is perceived. Together, they offer three very different expressions of the same idea.
Yet I still believe the exhibition would have benefited from a clearer narrative to guide visitors between the sections. Written information appears throughout, but I sometimes had to figure out where to start reading and which objects belonged to which part of the story.
An audio guide connecting the three sections would have made a considerable difference to my experience. I enjoy discovering things independently, but I also appreciate when a museum helps visitors understand why something matters, not just what they are looking at.
Is The Art of Transformation Worth Visiting?
Yes, particularly if you enjoy theatre history, costume design, photography, or the creative processes behind performances. The Slingelandt chamber theatre alone made the visit worthwhile for me. It is a wonderful reminder that creativity and technology have always worked together, and that the desire to surprise an audience is nothing new.
I would recommend taking your time, reading the information panels, and approaching each section as a separate story connected by the broader theme of transformation. You may find one room far more interesting than the others, just as I did.
Planning Your Visit
Exhibition: The Art of Transformation (De kunst van het transformeren) at Allard Pierson Museum, Amsterdam
From 4 July to 29 November 2026
You can find current visitor information, opening hours and tickets on the Allard Pierson Museum website.
I took all photographs in this article during my visit with an iPhone 14 Pro.
Affiliate disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you book through one of them, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
