Lorena Paola Hernandez

Abstract: Meaning in Making

Patricia Simons
The Hidden Wonders of A Cabinet
The cabinet of curiosities, also known as wunderkammer (German for wonder-room)
during Renaissance Europe, was a encyclopedic collection meant for display. The
wunderkammer was usually a room rather than a cabinet where travelers, scientists, artists or
aristocrats would collect a variety of rare objects. These collections were considered a
representation of the complexity of creation and a way to demonstrate individual understanding
of the universe. Ownership of naturalia and artificialia was a way to assert dominance over the
natural and human world, showcasing their intellect, experience, and taste through the variety of
objects they possessed. In these collections, naturalia included any rare object obtained from
nature; exotic plants, creatures, fossils, shells and geological oddities, while artifialia included
any kind of man-made object; instruments, weapons, and artworks from a variety of mediums.
Some objects that came to be part of these collections began to blur the lines between what is
natural and what is artificial, creating a duality in both the origin(or making) and meaning of the
object.
Nautilus shells started appearing in Europe after the 1400s due to importation as both a
material and rare object from Indonesia. This is why nautilus shells were able to make their way
to wunderkammers in more than one physical state. Although many collected them in their
natural state, others collected polished or inlaid nautilus shells that were part of more complex
works of art. These works contained additional components made in silver or bronze gilt and
included representations of a variety of mythical creatures. The final artwork combined an
admired object of nature with remarkable craftsmanship. Although many of this items were
designed

Lorena Paola Hernandez

Abstract: Meaning in Making
Patricia Simons
One example for this issue is The Burghley Nef, a salt cellar made in France during the 16th
century. Drawings of anatomy, rare creatures, and natural locations were also found within these
collections. These artificial representations of naturalia, also bring up the duality in meaning
through appropriation or recreation.