Cabinet of Curiosities

1. Cabinet of Curiosities

2. A Curious Cabinet • Collectors from the early 1600s would have used cabinets to store and display rare and exotic objects such as medals, gems, or shells. • Most cabinets would have been kept in a private home. • Cabinets of curiosity were often customized for princes, merchants, and scholars. The imagery on the cabinet likely expressed the interests of its owner. • The images on the cabinet were intended to inspire contemplation (deep thinking) about the themes that the scenes depict.

3. Artists choose their materials for various reasons. Some of the materials used to make the cabinet were selected for their colors, or because they were believed to have magical powers. • Consider what was happening in 17th-century Europe (i.e., colonization and trade around the world, increased use of the printing press, the scientific revolution, the invention of the telescope). What would have sparked an interest in collecting objects that were considered rare and exotic (i.e., shells, fossils, gems)?

4. The importance of a Cabinet of Curiosity http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vasIci9AMHs&feature=fvwrel

5. Today… many houses have what is referred to as a curiocabinet. This comes directly from the 16th century cabinets of curiosity!

6. What do you collect? Interview Assignment • Cabinets of curiosity were forerunners (came before) of the modern-day museum. In their cabinets, owners stored and classified (organized) their collections of exotic and rare objects. • What do you collect? • How do you organize your collections? • How are your collections similar to or different from the collections of a museum?

7. Writing Opportunity • What do you collect Interview Assignment for research • Writingprompt: • What items have you collected? Reflect on why you collected these items. • Why do people collect things? • Write a reflective essay about why you think people are inspired to collect objects.