What Is Cabinets Of Curiosities?
Introduction:
We as humans usually have the need to gather and preserve knowledge. Remarkable events in the civilization of mankind are known to us in contemporary times through the records, written or visual, that were left by people from past times. Such instances prompt the need to preserve historical collections in a specified location and time period. Sources of natural history are held with importance by enthusiasts as well as scholars because they shed light on questions posed in modern times. It is here that terminologies like Cabinets of Curiosities become significant due to the activity of preserving historical significance in large rooms built specifically for this purpose.
Cabinets of Curiosities:
These are collections of items …show more content…
Objects collected for display were obtained from entrepreneurs who would then offer them for a fee to collectors. The collectors were then responsible for the maintenance of the cabinets and would be re-paid through viewership fees or through obtaining rare collections of natural items (Zytaruk, 2011). The wonders and marvels used through these displays would also have been an attraction for people interested in art. In the Renaissance period many people lived their lived on the philosophy of humanism. This philosophy was based on the improvement of both the values and self-worth of an individual. It was believed during that time, natural creatures would be used to inspire and sustain imaginations about invented creatures such as dragons and mermaids. Hence, cabinets of curiosities served a purpose similar to that of art, where they promoted the spread of ideologies but this time through the use of real and fictional marvels of the natural …show more content…
Recreations of imaginary/mythical creatures were particularly common. Other possible items in the wonder-rooms would be taxidermy of animals such as dogs monkeys, or even bird feathers and snakes skins. Formations created from the remains of other animals, mostly bones, would also appear in a typical cabinet of curiosity. An example of wonder-room that match the description above would be from Ferrante Imperto’s Dell’Hisria Naruale in Naples, 1599. Dramatic arrangements of fetal skeletons were one of the key attractions in cabinets of curiosities. Most other items were organized on the basis of relevance to one another and scale. Given that cabinets of curiosities were economically driven attractions, the most appealing collections were arranged in noticeable areas in the cabinets and other related items were placed close by to create a
We as humans usually have the need to gather and preserve knowledge. Remarkable events in the civilization of mankind are known to us in contemporary times through the records, written or visual, that were left by people from past times. Such instances prompt the need to preserve historical collections in a specified location and time period. Sources of natural history are held with importance by enthusiasts as well as scholars because they shed light on questions posed in modern times. It is here that terminologies like Cabinets of Curiosities become significant due to the activity of preserving historical significance in large rooms built specifically for this purpose.
Cabinets of Curiosities:
These are collections of items …show more content…
Objects collected for display were obtained from entrepreneurs who would then offer them for a fee to collectors. The collectors were then responsible for the maintenance of the cabinets and would be re-paid through viewership fees or through obtaining rare collections of natural items (Zytaruk, 2011). The wonders and marvels used through these displays would also have been an attraction for people interested in art. In the Renaissance period many people lived their lived on the philosophy of humanism. This philosophy was based on the improvement of both the values and self-worth of an individual. It was believed during that time, natural creatures would be used to inspire and sustain imaginations about invented creatures such as dragons and mermaids. Hence, cabinets of curiosities served a purpose similar to that of art, where they promoted the spread of ideologies but this time through the use of real and fictional marvels of the natural …show more content…
Recreations of imaginary/mythical creatures were particularly common. Other possible items in the wonder-rooms would be taxidermy of animals such as dogs monkeys, or even bird feathers and snakes skins. Formations created from the remains of other animals, mostly bones, would also appear in a typical cabinet of curiosity. An example of wonder-room that match the description above would be from Ferrante Imperto’s Dell’Hisria Naruale in Naples, 1599. Dramatic arrangements of fetal skeletons were one of the key attractions in cabinets of curiosities. Most other items were organized on the basis of relevance to one another and scale. Given that cabinets of curiosities were economically driven attractions, the most appealing collections were arranged in noticeable areas in the cabinets and other related items were placed close by to create a