Cabinets of Curiosities

In the seventeenth century, Cabinets of Curiosities housed a vast array of rare items, such as unicorns’ horns, mermaids’ skeletons, preserved animals and plants, precious metals, clocks, scientific instruments, and celestial globes. These rooms were a reflection of man's pursuit of complete knowledge.

The owners of Cabinets of Curiosities included important figures like archdukes, kings, and the Emperor Rudolf II, known as the ultimate collector. These wealthy merchants and scholars would fill their collections with a variety of items, ranging from a single, overcrowded room to entire palatial suites. This book delves into the intriguing history of these distinctive spaces and their contents, from their debut in the inventories and engravings of Renaissance noble families like the Medicis and Hapsburgs, to notable collectors like Dane Ole Wurm and German scholar Athanasius Kircher, all the way to renowned seventeenth-century scientist Elias Ashmole and Dutch collector Levinus Vincent.

In this intellectual and well-researched overview, author Patrick Maurie delves into the fascinating past of Cabinets of Curiosities. Though few of these rooms remain, they are immortalized in paintings and artifacts that can be found in museums worldwide.