Each week of our journey ‘Around the World with the Royal Collection’ will feature a mystery object which, if correctly identified, will reveal our next location.

Last week, we invited you to guess what this intricate rectangular object might be, and where it was from. Read on to find out the answer, and discover whether your guess was correct!

It is thought that this rectangular object is a type of gingerbread cake, glazed and decorated with sliced almonds. This detail come from a larger painting, The Grocer’s Shop, by Dutch artist Gerrit Dou.

The painting shows a plentiful and intricate scene from a 17th-century Dutch shop. As well as locally produced goods such as eggs, dairy products, bread and meats, you can also see imported goods in the image, such as lemons, special confections in a jar, and sponges and poppies hanging from the arch. These exotic goods display the great success of the Dutch nation in international trade.

Next week we will journey to another mystery location through an object from the Royal Collection – but can you guess where? Take a look at this mystery object, and see whether you can work out where our next location will be. You will have to join us next week to find out!