Have you ever looked into one of your Grandma’s cabinet that’s filled with knick knacks, and wondered why she’s had such a strong desire to hoard what is, in your opinion, an accumulation of junk? You know the setting; there’s mismatched china, obscure mini figurines and lots of general tat that’s clearly been brought from a car boot, displayed in an antique cupboard that has predated generations of your family. Well, turns out this isn’t a result of madness induced by age, but a tradition founded in history.

Cabinets of Curiosities, also known as Wunderkammer, were originally pre-dated versions of museums, where international artefacts were housed in a cabinet, or more commonly, a whole room. As a celebration of this format that inspired our way of cultural intake in the modern day, Taschen have published an ode in their honour, named Cabinet of Curiosities. Spread over 356 pages, explore the spaces filled with narwhal tusks, gemstones and Murano glasswork that have been curated by aristocratic virtuosos, such as the Grand Duke Francesco I de’ Medici and Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II. An exploration of this tome is also an explanation through time periods, as it runs through the Renaissance and Age of Discovery, the Mannerist and Baroque periods, all the way up to the present day. Many of these places no longer exist, meaning a flick through these pages will be an exclusive chance to view a completely different world.

With this new knowledge in mind, your Gran’s home could now be seen as a collector’s cluster of treasures that are now proudly on display...

Cabinet of Curiosities can be brought from here.


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