Kunstkammer Early Modern Art and Curiosity Cabinets in the Holy Roman Empire |
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Author:
| Smith, Jeffrey Chipps |
ISBN: | 978-1-78914-612-7 |
Publication Date: | Feb 2023 |
Publisher: | Reaktion Books, Limited
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Book Format: | Hardback |
List Price: | USD $50.00 |
Book Description:
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Exquisitely illustrated, the first thorough history of these astonishing Early Modern cabinets of curiosities. Kunstkammer, art and curiosity cabinets housed in a dedicated room or suite of chambers, were often filled with thousands of diverse and sometimes shocking objects reflecting the bounty of nature and human creativity. These could range from a cherry pit carved with dozens of faces to an intricate drinking cup fashioned from a rhinoceros...
More Description Exquisitely illustrated, the first thorough history of these astonishing Early Modern cabinets of curiosities.
Kunstkammer, art and curiosity cabinets housed in a dedicated room or suite of chambers, were often filled with thousands of diverse and sometimes shocking objects reflecting the bounty of nature and human creativity. These could range from a cherry pit carved with dozens of faces to an intricate drinking cup fashioned from a rhinoceros horn. Whether as a setting for personal contemplation or as a manifestation of the wealth and prestige of its owners, these proto-museums dazzled visitors of the time. This book offers the first in-depth comparative examination of the history, theory, organization, and character of the major Kunstkammern in the Holy Roman Empire.