SubscribeGeneral Introduction. This blog consists of 11 chapters (so far) discussing Austrian and German wunderkammern that can be visited today,despite being up to 450 years old, and comparing these to one I designed. In blog format, the first posting (chapter) is listed last and the last one (this one) first. Refer to [...]
FunstonAntiques.com
G. Keith Funston Jr. 978-443-4111
Category: Wonder Chamber
6) The Green Vaults of Dresden, the Grunes Gewolbe
Although only an hour’s drive from our last stop, Waldenburg, the wunderkammern of Dresden are clearly in another world.
Despite being firebombed to rubble by the Allies during World War II, Dresden has arisen from the ashes miraculously to its former baroque glory and today houses two, not one, over-the-top wunderkammern. The Historic Green [...]
4) Chamber of Art & Curiosities, Landshut
Installed in the 13th century Trausnitz Castle, overlooking the town of Landshut, about 50 miles northeast of Munich is the wunderkammer begun by the Bavarian Duke Wilhelm V (1548-1626), Duke Albrecht V’s son. When Wilhelm assumed the title of duke in 1579, he moved his whole household including his collection to Munich, joining [...]
3) Albrecht’s Treasury at the Munich Residence
The wunderkammer of Bavarian Duke Albrecht V (1528-1579) was one of the grandest 1st period ones ever built. It housed over 3500 items and was installed over the ducal stables in several rooms, some of which were over 100 feet long (MacGregor, p13-15). Reportedly it consisted of both naturalia and artificialia, and according [...]
2) Wunderkammern: Themes, Dreams, and Scenes
THEMES
Generally there were few rules governing the creation of a wunderkammer. 1) Be broad in your collecting. These after all were renaissance men. But the impetus to be broad was more than good manners. Consultants in this field back then advised you to be so broad that you were creating [...]
1) Wunderkammer: An Introduction & Preface
Imagine what Europeans experienced during the age of discovery, roughly 1500 to 1550 AD. New continents were being discovered and the world was being shown to be a far more diverse and complex…and wonderful …place than originally thought. Ships were frequently returning from uncharted lands, their holds crammed full of strange and wondrous [...]
Greenwich Citizen Article: Antique Show brought booths of wonder
Greenwich Antique Show brought booths of wonder
By Anne W. Semmes
Posted: 01/14/2010 6:02 PM
A rich array of the decorative arts took center stage over the weekend at the 52nd annual Greenwich Antique Show held at the Old Greenwich Civic Center, with more in the mood to buy this year. There were upscale items aplenty with [...]