The exhibition “The Art of Paper Dolls. History. Design. Fashion.” at Ināra Liepa’s Doll Art and Design Museum, in the Roman Garden gallery.

From April 25, 2026 to September 25, 2026, a special and visually engaging exhibition “The Art of Paper Dolls. History. Design. Fashion.” will be on view in Liepāja, at the Doll Art and Design Museum, in the Roman Garden gallery. The exhibition invites visitors to explore the world of paper dolls as a unique form of artistic, design, and fashion expression.
The exhibition will feature a large collection of 19th, 20th, and 21st-century ampelmanns and paper dolls by artist and designer Ināra Liepa, revealing the diversity, aesthetics, and cultural-historical significance of this genre. The display will be complemented by 3D paper dolls created by artist Ilze Ramane, which add a contemporary, spatial, and innovative dimension to traditional paper doll art.
Paper dolls are not only toys but also important visual cultural artifacts whose history spans several centuries. They became especially popular in the 19th and 20th centuries, serving both as entertainment and as reflections of the fashion and lifestyle of their time. Through clothing, silhouettes, and details, paper dolls document the aesthetic trends, social norms, and design development of different eras.
The exhibition highlights the significance of paper dolls in the history of design and fashion—they have often functioned as miniature fashion catalogues, allowing visitors to explore clothing styles, fabric patterns, cuts, and accessories of specific periods. In this context, the paper doll becomes a distinctive art object where illustration, graphic design, craftsmanship, and fashion design meet.
Visitors will have the opportunity not only to view historical and contemporary interpretations but also to follow the evolution of the paper doll form from flat silhouettes to three-dimensional sculptural objects. The exhibition encourages reflection on paper as a material, its fragility, and at the same time its unlimited creative possibilities. Extensive educational information about the history of paper dolls will also be available.
The exhibition “The Art of Paper Dolls. History. Design. Fashion.” will be of interest to art and design professionals, families, fashion enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the history of visual culture.