About 6 hours south of Kassel, and on the other side of the Alps is the beautiful city of Innsbruck, Austria, surrounded by snow-capped mountains, and nestled in a lush green valley ablaze, in early May, with the cherry and lilac blossoms.

It is here that Hapsburg Archduke Ferdinand II (1529-1595) moved to in 1564, converting a gothic castle into a Renaissance palace, and here that one of the most satisfying wunderkammern can be seen today. It is exhibited in the same place and in much the same manner as was first installed by Ferdinand in the 1560’s.

Ferdinand’s father, uncle and older brother were each Holy Roman Emperors. His uncle, Charles V (1500-1558) was perhaps the best known and most powerful Holy Roman Emperor of all times, and the empire then included Austria, Hungary, upper Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain.

So Ferdinand II had plenty of money and plenty of free time and he put both to good use in assembling one of the most famous wunderkammern of his time. Though it was sold for a fortune by his son about 1600 to Emperor Rudolf II (1552-1612) and was then temporarily moved twice to avoid the devastation of war (during the Napoleonic era and World War II), this collection has remained quite in tact. And what we see today is quite similar to what Ferdinand left behind.

His plan (and the one used today) was to group items based upon the materials they were composed of, and place each group in its own floor-to-ceiling case, where the background color was chosen to show that group to best advantage. Thus the goldsmith items were presented against a blue background, the wood against red, the stone against green, etc.

The goldsmith items usually were natural items of great rarity set in gold settings. For instance, here is a coconut shell, a rare and wondrous item in the 1560’s and one reputed to have magical healing properties, mounted as a chalice with gold base, handles and ornamentation. The blue, as selected by Ferdinand, sets off the gold work nicely.

18 such cases were placed in the middle of this large room back to back in rows of 9, and the walls and ceiling at the perimeter were richly hung with paintings and oversized items (Auer et al, p 30).

The collection was encyclopedic, and the scope as broad as possible with naturalia and artificialia from all fields of knowledge. And the various collections were presented side by side with the gold and treasury items to underscore the idea that all of God’s works were of equal value.

The categories included many predictable ones for a princely wunderkammer, goldsmith works, stone works, instruments (scientific as well as musical), bronzes, and exotica such as ivory and mother of pearl works, but then also ones of particular interest to Ferdinand, such as hand stones, coral, wood turnings produced by his turnery, glass, including that executed by his own glassworks, and natural history.

Hand stones were bizarrely shaped rocks and minerals sized to fit your palm that were then trimmed with tiny gold and silver figurines. Here a porous mineral specimen has had its niches filled with gold support columns and subterranean human figures, all surmounted by Christ’s crucifixion.

Ferdinand II owned the world’s most important collection of hand stones of his time (Auer et al, p36).Here is another hand stone where the natural specimen seems to be white coral. Biblical figures rest about its base while one of their numbers receives a visitation by an angel, who you can see atop the coral column. This is a particularly beautiful object.

Coral was richly represented. Here a collection of a wide variety was mounted on bases, and at the beginning of this chapter, naturalistic coral had sections carved in the image of Christ’s crucifixion.

Wood was elevated by being so skillfully turned and filigreed often by Ferdinand’s own turners. See the detail of a large Tirol sepulcher c1575 as well as a similar work in ivory.

Similarly Ferdinand’s love for Venetian glass caused him to found his own glass works, producing these crucifixes. (You can’t help but notice how often the subject is a crucifix…you might say they were crusi-fixated.)

This glass works also produced glass images. This example shows an image of Adam and Eve on paper sprinkled with powdered glass and featuring glass trees and figures.

The bold architectural design of this brass and iron lock shows that base metal works deserve inclusion in the wunderkammer.

Mandrake roots naturally occur in the rough shape of the human form and so were valued for their alleged magical properties. This mandrake root looks like a crucifix and would have been doubly prized as an example of mirabilia, an object demonstrating a miracle.

And just plain bizarre: here is a pair of leather boots from the mid 16th century where the toes are individually sheathed like gloved fingers.

The walls and ceiling at the perimeter of the room are here hung with a 16th century taxidermist’s shark lurking among other naturalia.

The adjacent 3 rooms house Ferdinand’s collection of knightly armor and Renaissance military weaponry. In 1564 he had 17 tons of armor transported to Ambras. The knightly material give witness to how important jousting was as a form of courtly entertainment in Ferdinand’s time, while the military material reminds us of how conscious the Hapsburgs were of the nearby threat of the Turks who occupied Eastern Europe.

Ambras is not to be missed. I’d recommend most of a day for the armory, wunderkammer, and the impressive portrait gallery in the main palace (see info.ambras@khm.at.) After your visit, I cannot recommend strongly enough a trip across town to Cafe Konditorei (Schneeburggasse 3, A-6020 Innsbruck) for pastry. They offer a wide choice of the best pastry I have ever tasted as well as light meals and cocktails.

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References:
Ambras Castle, Alfred Auer, Veronika Sandbicher, KarlSchutz, and Christian Beauford-Spontin, Translated by John Winbigler, (Vienna, 2000).

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 Vaults were designed by Augustus II and opened (very selectively) to the public in 1730. The New Green Vaults contain other princely assets originally housed elsewhere, plus items added after Augustus’s death in 1733. Together they represent Europe’s most magnificent treasury museum, and to the American mind, an embarrassment of riches.

As suggested in chapter 2, these wunderkammern were a tool of state craft. Consider Augustus II, who was christened Augustus the Strong by historians a hundred years after his death possibly due in part to his physical strength but mostly due to his womanizing … he reportedly sired over 300 illegitimate children. He had visited Louis XIV of France a few years before becoming the Duke of Saxony in 1694. He craved the absolute kingship enjoyed by Louis and desired the same for Saxony and later for Poland which he got himself elected king of in 1697. Louis spent huge quantities of funds to validate and reinforce his absolute monarch status and Augustus did likewise.

It was extraordinary that such a vast collection was ever assembled. Begun in 1560 by Augustus I as a more conventional wunderkammer with items of natural history and scientific instruments, it became more art and jewel oriented in subsequent generations, and then enjoyed spending like never before under Augustus the Strong, and his (only legitimate) son, Augustus III, again as reported in chapter 2. The natural history and scientific items were relegated to nearby collections to make room for the jewels.

That almost all of this princely collection survived is even more extraordinary. One component of it, August the Strong’s silver service –including many 6-foot-high sterling urns and candlesticks and 3000 pieces in all—was melted down in 1772 and turned into thalers during a Saxon economic crisis (Syndram, Gems, p.10). But the rest survived, several times being boxed up and stored in the palace basement or in a remote mountain fortress, including during the firebombing of World War II. It was then taken to Russia in 1945 and then returned by the Russians to their East German allies in 1958. And then the historic Green Vaults building, badly damaged in the firebombing was totally refurbished and reopened in 2006 in its baroque glory as envisioned by Augustus the Strong.

Unfortunately, photography is discouraged so many of the photos here are extracted from the Green Vault’s website or publications.

The New green Vaults

These wonderful and opulent items were not included in the vaults assembled by Augustus II, either because they were included in other state collections, e.g. the royal kunstkammer or the treasury, or they were acquired after he died. They are presented in a modern museum setting. Here are some examples:

These small figurines are each in the form suggested by a huge, naturally-occurring and strangely-shaped pearl that make up the bulk of each sculpture.

These and other items here illustrate several principles held dear by princely baroque wunderkammernists. The use of exotic materials in their natural state suggests collaboration between man and nature to form art. Virtuosic, practically impossible craftsmanship is utilized, and the skill level inspires wonder. The objects have no practical purpose. For instance, the bowl of Diana’s bath can’t hold liquids; it would leak where the base is attached. Objects instead were created to delight the beholder…and remind him of the status and power of the owner.

This Bath of Diana bowl is made of chalcedony (semi-precious quartz) with a carved ivory Diana over a figural base cast in gold and silver. The entire work is encrusted in jewels. Augustus II purchased this 15-inch sculpture in 1704 from jeweler G. F. Dinglinger for 8000 thalers (Syndram, Art Treasury, p.17).

The 41 ct Dresden Green Diamond, bought by Augustus III for 400000 thalers in 1742, was later incorporated into a hat brim ornament.

Even the boxes built to store the precious objects are themselves precious. Here are several leather-bound boxes, each built to house a unique shaped item.

Here are several items made by Johann Frederick Bottger. This alchemist had two goals: convert lead to gold and convert various ground earths into porcelain. Using trickery he could appear to accomplish the first goal, but never of course did. He did in fact accomplish the second goal. His unsubstantiated claims and promises regarding the first goal caused him to become the dungeon-bound prisoner of August II. His success in achieving the second goal caused Augustus to make him a baron…though he remained a prisoner (Gleason, p119).

Chinese porcelain, highly prized by Europeans, had eluded reproduction in Europe for 200 years, and the search for the formula in the late 17th/ early 18th centuries was on. In 1708, after hundreds of high-heat experiments, including many using the Burning Glass discussed in the last chapter, and with the vital collaboration of a scholarly nobleman, E. W. von Tschirnhaus, Bottger succeeded in creating both red (shown here) and white porcelain for his captor, Augustus II (Gleeson, pp68-9). As a result the famous and lucrative Meissen porcelain factory was soon begun, yielding Augustus II over 900000 thalers of benefit during his reign (Gleeson, p194).

The Historic Green Vaults

Here over 4000 items are presented very much as they were in 1730 by Augustus the Strong, in 8 highly decorated rooms on shelves and tables generally with no museum glass separating you from the objects. These rooms are sequenced in a theatrical manner, gradually increasing in dramatic opulence.

We start in the Amber Room. This highly valued Baltic fossil resin is a stone that both burns like coal and floats in water, and perhaps for these reasons is considered magical. This cabinet on stand, almost entirely built of amber, was a gift of the Duke of Prussia in 1728. There are a number of other beautiful amber goblets and caskets and lesser objects as well.

You next enter the Ivory Room filled with turned and carved ivory sculptures. From time to time the spectacular ivory frigate pictured at the beginning of this chapter has been on display in the Ivory Room, although now, probably for conservation reasons, is in the New Vaults. This 50-inch sculpture made in 1620 demonstrates what a great carver’s medium ivory is…the sails are each carved so thin as to be translucent.

Then you enter the White Silver Room where the silver service of Augustus II once was and which is now filled with objects made of silver, wood, ivory, coconuts and other exotic materials, all presented against red walls.

Then the Silver Gilt Room house silver articles with gold wash presented against green walls.

Then there is the Hall of Precious Objects with hundreds of sculptures of precious and semiprecious stones.

Then you enter a rather plain room, the Coat of Arms Room, ornamented only by a series of brass plaques on the walls. There is no furniture and no valuable objects. This is the dramatic hesitation to heighten the climax.

Then you enter the Jewel Room, where a pair of nearly 3-foot-tall, bejeweled “Moors” (one shown) greet you with their offerings of emeralds, etc, served on a platter. And then you are treated to a number of cases loaded with jewels. Here, unlike the rest of the Historic Vaults, glass cases are used, understandably separating you from the goods.

This case is dedicated to rubies, the so-called ruby garniture. Other cases are dedicated to diamond, carnelian, tortoise-shell, sapphire and emerald garnitures.

The cases have all been restored to their 1730 appearance as have all the appointments of the room.

Finally you enter the last room, the Bronze Room, a smaller room with a display of fine bronzes, the muted tone of which provide sharp contrast to the glitter you just left.

Conclusion

A tour through the Green Vaults was given the Duke of Prussia, a sometimes ally and sometimes enemy of Augustus II. This duke then wrote a certain Prince Leopold, “My father’s jewels are nothing compared to this” (Syndram et al, P18). No wunderkammer creator was as motivated by the need to inspire respect and fear. Mission accomplished, Augustus!

I’d recommend at least half a day to see these two wunderkammern. You must buy tickets in advance for the Historic Green Vaults which reserve a specific time slot. No refunds will be given if you change times. You can buy these tickets on line at their website, www.skd-dresden.de. and select Grunes Gewolbe. The physical address is Residenzschloss, Taschenberg 2, D01067 Dresden.

Nearby are a host of other museums, including the famous Zwinger which house an art museum, a porcelain museum, a museum of mathematical and scientific instruments and one of armor and minerals. I imagine a full day could be spent here. The Green Vaults are unique for being open on Mondays when most other museums are closed. Thus we scheduled our visit for Monday, glad to be making such a good use of an off day. But alas the Zwinger museums were all closed.

References :

Renaissance and Baroque Treasury Art The Green Vault in Dresden, Dirk Syndram, translated by Daniel Kletke, (Berlin, 2005).

The Historic Grunes Gewolbe at Dreden The Baroque Treasury, Dirk Syndram, Jutta Kappel, and Ulrike Weinhold, translated by Ulrich Boltz and Dr. Richard Gary Hooton, (Berlin, 2008).

The Arcanum, Janet Gleeson, (NY,1998).

Unfortunately, it was over 95% destroyed by war and voluntary dispersal, and the only vestige today is the collection of precious materials retained by the Bavarian treasury. Fortunately, the items which do remain are well worth a visit.

While the entire wunderkammer before dispersal may well have demonstrated a thirst for universal knowledge, the princely items which remain in the treasury certainly would have inspired the kind of respect and fear that must have favorably impacted Albrecht’s statecraft.

The collection today is placed in 10 adjoining rooms in the Munich Residence in modern, well-lit display cases. Some of these princely objects include:

The earliest English Queen crown extant, made about 1575.

An early goblet, made of silver-and gold-mounted narwhale tusk with a cover of gold-mounted ostrich egg shell. Dated c1530 it is indeed an early wunderkammer item, and shows the early fascination with the exotic.

A spectacular enameled and jeweled gold and silver sculpture of St George and the Dragon.

A tortoise shell crucifix, where the body of Christ is perfectly molded in tortoise shell by a method now lost and irreproducible.

A group of gold-mounted bezoars and jeweled rhinoceros-horn vessels prized for their alleged capacity to neutralize poison in any beverage they contained. (A bezoar is a hairball or other indigestible solid recovered from the digestive system of man or animal. Bezoars have been clinically shown to bind certain poisons, namely arsenic.)

A lapis lazuli platter showing the collaboration of man and nature to create beauty, a commonly repeated wunderkammer theme.

A white enameled and jeweled covered urn fabricated for Albrecht by a local Munich area goldsmith.

A carved 16th century ivory and ruby encrusted casket from Ceylon (Sri Lanka).

Finally, an ancient Olmec jade mask from Central America incorporated into a seated figure by a 16th century European goldsmith.

The treasury (schatzkammer) can be comfortably seen in an hour or so, but additional time should be set aside to view the large Residence Museum which houses it. This Residence was the seat of Bavaria’s ruling dynasty, the Wittelsbachs, until 1918.

The address of the Munich Residence is Residenzstrasse 1, 80330 Munchen (Munich), and the web site, www.residenz-muenchen.de.
References:
The Age of the Marvelous, Joy Kenseth, (Hanover, NH, 1991).
Curiosity and Enlightenment, Arthur MacGregor, (New Haven, CT, 2007).