The West-Indisch Huis (1735) is one of the most beautiful 18th century buildings in Dordrecht. In the building you can visit a painting exhibition that depicts important moments from the timeline of the Bible. In addition to the Biblical scenes, a number of realistically painted nature still lifes are exhibited.
The monument
The street facade is approximately 16.5 m wide and the entire building has a depth of 18.3 m. It was inhabited by various families over the years but was built by Fredrik Wilkens. Extensive changes were made to the interior by, among others, the Dordtse Schefferdrukkerij, which was located in the building from 1950 to 1998. After the printing company left, the building was sold to Victor Deconinck, who established an art gallery there. He had the building restored to its original state.
The mansion has a baroque facade with five bays of windows and stands on a stoop of bluestone. The wainscoting is also of bluestone and the ornamentation on both sides of the window above the entrance doors is made in Louis XIV style.
In the beautiful fanlight above the double doors a winged Mercury head, the god of trade, and two horns of plenty are depicted. Above Mercury, between graceful tendrils, are the images of a sugar loaf, wrapped in blue paper, the trademark of sugar refiner Wilkens.
