
The Miniaturist
The Miniaturist is the 2014 debut novel of English actress and author Jessie Burton. An international bestseller, it was the focus of a publishers' bidding war at the 2013 London Book Fair. Set in Amsterdam in 1686–87, the novel was inspired by Petronella Oortman's doll's house on display at th…
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What is the miniaturist based on?
The Miniaturist is the 2014 debut novel of English actress and author Jessie Burton. An international bestseller, it was the focus of a publishers' bidding war at the 2013 London Book Fair. Set in Amsterdam in 1686–87, the novel was inspired by Petronella Oortman 's doll's house on display at the Rijksmuseum.
What happened in the first episode of the miniaturist?
In the first episode of The Miniaturist, a miniseries based on Jessie Burton's novel of the same name, 17th-century Dutch merchant Johannes Brandt gives his new bride Petronella Oortman an exact replica of her new home as a wedding gift.
Does the miniaturist have any magical powers on'supernatural'?
Despite the miniaturist's unusual physical appearance in the show, it's still somewhat ambiguous whether or not she has magical powers, but according to Burton, she is decidedly not clairvoyant. "She’s not a witch or a supernatural thing," Burton tells Town & Country.
What time does the miniaturist premiere on PBS?
The Miniaturist airs Sunday nights on Masterpiece PBS at 9 p.m. eastern, 8 p.m. central. The original doll house was made by a cabinetmaker in France, and is currently on display in room 2.20 of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

What is the miniaturist about?
The Miniaturist is the 2014 debut novel of English actress and author Jessie Burton. An international bestseller, it was the focus of a publishers' bidding war at the 2013 London Book Fair. Set in Amsterdam in 1686–87, the novel was inspired by Petronella Oortman 's doll's house on display at the Rijksmuseum.
What does Johannes give Nella?
Johannes is usually out or abroad; he rejects Nella’s caresses. But he gives her a marvellous present: a cabinet house, an eerie replica of the house they live in. She is given generous funds with which to buy more items for the house, and she orders some from a miniaturist.
What punishment does Johannes get for sodomy?
The punishment for sodomy is death by drowning. Later, while Johannes is abroad, Jack delivers another packet from the miniaturist. In the fracas that ensues, he stabs one of Johannes’ beloved dogs to death and, in a scuffle with Otto, is stabbed with his own dagger.
Who sells Nella's sugar?
Otto returns, to see his child. Nella has sold the sugar to a confectioner whose wife is a lifelong friend of Cornelia’s. A new phase of life begins in the house. At first, the miniaturist sends Nella the items she has ordered, works of exquisite craftsmanship, but soon begins to send items not ordered, or not yet.
Who is Marin's sister?
He is not there when she arrives, but she meets the other members of the household. Marin is his severe, unmarried sister. Cornelia is the maid, a little older than Nella, more spirited than maids in the countryside.
Who is Cornelia in the book?
Cornelia is the maid, a little older than Nella, more spirited than maids in the countryside. Otto, Johannes’ servant and business assistant, aged about thirty, is, to Nella’s astonishment, an African.
Who wrote the doll house?
The doll's house that inspired the novel. Burton, who had studied English literature at the University of Oxford before embarking on an acting career, wrote the novel over a period of four years while supporting herself as an actress and PA in the City of London.
Is the miniaturist clairvoyant?
Despite the miniaturist's unusual physical appearance in the show, it's still somewhat ambiguous whether or not she has magical powers, but according to Bur ton, she is decidedly not clairvoyant.
Is the miniaturist on Masterpiece?
If you haven't watched the all three episodes of The Miniaturist on Masterpiece PBS, consider yourself warned, there are spoilers ahead! The final episode of The Miniaturist, a miniseries based on Jessie Burton's novel of the same name , aired tonight on Masterpiece PBS, and the ending was left open to the viewer's interpretation.
What is the miniaturist about?
The Miniaturist is about young Nella who lives in the small town of Assendelft and is married off to a much older man named Johannes Brandt who is from Amsterdam in 1686 during it's Golden Age.
When did miniature houses become popular?
Miniature Houses became all the rage in the 17th century. People spent ridiculous sums making their miniature houses as sumptuous as possible. Brandt had an exact duplicate of his house made for Nella, well except for one missing room, but you will have to read the book to figure out why.
What does Nella order?
Nella orders items to make her house even more her own. The miniaturist as it turns out has some ideas of what she needs as well. She starts sending her unsolicited packages with cryptic notes and presentiments of what will be.
What is the dollhouse in the Rijksmuseum?
When you visit the Rijksmuseum, one of the exhibits that is certain to attract your attention, is the beautiful dollhouse of Petronella Oortman, a creation of exquisite beauty.
What is the gift that Johannes presents Nella?
But Nella's world changes when Johannes presents her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home.
Where did Jessie Burton study?
Jessie Burton studied at Oxford University and the Central School of Speech and Drama, where she appeared in productions of The House of Bernarda Alba, Othello, Play and Macbeth. In April 2013 her first novel, The Miniaturist, was sold at an 11-publisher auction at the London Book Fair, and went on to sell in 29 other countries around the world. It was published by Picador in the UK and Holland in July 2014, and the USA in August 2014, with other translations to follow. Radio 4 commissioned it as their Book at Bedtime in July 2014. Her second book, The Muse, set in a dual time-frame, during the Spanish Civil War and 30 years later in 1960s London, was published in 2016. Jessie's first novel for children, The Restless Girls, will be published in September 2018.
Who is Nella Oortman's sister?
She is greeted by her new husband’s sister, Marin, who makes her feel as we. The death of Nella Oortman’s father left the family in difficult straits, saddled with unexpected debts and a declining standard of living. But the widow finds a suitable match for Nella, in a successful Amsterdam merchant and trader.
