Who formed the first cabinets of curiosities?

In 1908, New York businessmen formed the Hobby Club, a dining club limited to 50 men, in order to showcase their “cabinets of wonder” and their selected collections.

What is a Cabinet of Curiosities and what was it a precursor to?

The Cabinet of Curiosities was the predecessor of the modern museum and, as its name suggests, a true world of wonders. Cabinet of Curiosities, Domenico Remps, c. 1690, Museo dell’Opificio delle Pietre Dure (foreground); Natural history museu of Ole Worm, Museum Wormiani Historia, 1655, Welcome Collection (background).

What was the purpose of wunderkammer?

Wunderkammern first began to appear in the homes of royalty and the aristocratic in 16th century Europe. They were soon dubbed “wunderkammern,” or, “wonders or miracles of the world,” and were intended to summarize the world to the very corners of the Earth.

What is cabinet of curiosities in art?

What is a cabinet of curiosities? A cabinet of curiosities – or wunderkammer – stored and exhibited a wide variety of objects and artifacts, with a particular leaning towards the rare, eclectic and esoteric. Through the selection of objects, they told a particular story about the world and its history.

What would be in a cabinet of curiosities?

Cabinets of curiosities, also known as ‘wonder rooms’, were small collections of extraordinary objects which, like today’s museums, attempted to categorise and tell stories about the wonders and oddities of the natural world.

What was in a cabinet of curiosity?

Who had cabinets of curiosity?

Cabinets of curiosities were the aristocrat’s answer for those who sought to enliven the opulent but dimly lit parties thrown during the Italian Renaissance. They ranged in size, from as small as a dedicated piece of furniture with multiple drawers or could stretch to the size of an entire room.

What do you put in a cabinet of curiosities?

Traditionally, wunderkammer were treasuries of the natural world, but modern cabinets can contain all kinds of collections. Try mixing in your favorite small works of art, found photos, tin robots, keys, collectable toys, or anything that speaks to you.

What is a Wunderkabinett?

Wunderkabinett is a German term that translates as “cabinet of wonders”. These were popular in the 16th Century and housed a collection of rarities and artworks. Our exhibition continues in this theme bringing together wondrous curiosities and marvels of nature.