The city of The Hague had been familiar with Japanese art and culture long before Japan was discovered by the rest of Europe. One merchant in The Hague, Dirk Boer (1803-77), was particularly taken with Japan. In the early 19th century he opened his shop "Japansch Magazijn" (Japanese Repository) which he filled with exotic merchandise. He also introduced the public to a hitherto unknown Japan in his gallery "Panorama van Schilderijen en Kabinet van Zeldzaamheden" (Panorama of Paintings and Cabinets of Curiosities). His second store, the "Groote Koninklijke Bazar" (Grand Royal Bazaar), became a popular venue with its fame extending far beyond the Netherlands.
